Reunited (A Miraculous Ladybug Romance)
by WhitleyMiranda
Summary: Hawkmoth had given up his powers and the two heroes were no longer needed. Years have passed and Adrien and Marinette end up both working for his father. They begin a new relationship while Marinette begins to desperately miss Chat wondering what he could be up to. Marinette leaves a letter for Chat only to begin a long correspondence between the two.
1. Chapter 1: Goodbye

"Evening M'Lady," Chat said as he sat down next to me on our usual spot at the Eiffel Tower. The night air was warm and the stars danced in the late summer sky. I could feel a slight breeze playing with the ribbons in my hair.

"Chat," I somberly replied not looking forward to what I had to say to him, "we need to talk."

Chat could sense the tension in my voice causing him to stiffen and sigh. "I know, Ladybug," he said in the most serious tone I had ever heard come out of his mouth. "Things have been quiet for a long time."

We both looked out at the city lights sparkling below. Paris was so peaceful and so safe just as it had been for almost a year. I watched as a young couple stood at the base of the tower and as the boy bent to one knee. My heart longed to find a love like that, but I knew that this was not the right time.

"They don't need us anymore," I whispered as a soft tear crept down my cheek. Chat turned to look at me catching my tear by the tip of his claw.

"I know that, Bugaboo," he replied as he placed his hand on my shoulder, "but that doesn't make this any easier." Then, he dropped his hand and turned away mumbling, "I'm leaving for college tomorrow."

My heart raced as I realized that that meant that we were the same age. Yet, what did he mean he was leaving? I would be starting up design school here in Paris in a few days. I knew that I wouldn't have time to patrol with Chat with my new schedule, and there was no reason to be on the lookout ever since Hawkmoth had disappeared.

"Y-your leaving?" I squeaked feeling way more sorrow than I would have expected.

Chat faced me again locking his big green eyes with mine. "Yes," he purred, "my school is a long way from here." Then he quickly grabbed both of my hands saying, "I would have never left you if I believed you could be in danger, M'Lady!" He then let go of my hands and scratched the back of his neck. "It's just that this is such a great opportunity, and nothing has happened in Paris for ages and"

"Go," I hastily said completely cutting him off, "follow your dream. You have done enough to help this city. It's time to live your life." I paused and caught a glimpse of the couple kissing below. She must have said yes. "It's time that I live my life, too, Kitty."

Chat followed my gaze to look upon the couple below. I could see his face turn a slight shade of pink as he said, "so I guess this is goodbye?"

I lifted my eyes to look at Chat's messy blonde hair and glowing green eyes. Something about how vulnerable he looked in that moment broke my heart. For the first time, I could see how cute he actually was and I wanted desperately to have the chance to get to know him more. However, it was too late and now I had missed my chance with yet another boy.

"I guess so," I murmured.

Just then, Chat leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek leaving my face warm and flushed. "I will miss you, Bugaboo," he smiled, "until we meet again." Chat then stood up and turned to walk away. I grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Goodbye, Chaton," I stammered.

"Goodbye, M'Lady," he responded as he slipped his wrist from my grasp and leapt away into the vast and empty night.

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Please let me know if this is a story that you want to read. I know I need a real cover. I didn't want to steal anyone's work. This is a teaser chapter just to see if this is something readers would want me to continue. Future chapters would be much longer and more detailed.

Leave comments below :)


	2. Chapter 2: The End of Hawkmoth

As I entered through my bedroom window and let my transformation go, I could feel myself sinking into a feeling of despair. I had just said goodbye to Ladybug, the girl who I had been in love with for so many years. Tears were streaming down my face and my heart felt crushed and empty. So many times I had been tempted to reveal my identity to my lady, but I never could find the courage to do so. She obviously didn't feel the same way about me and I couldn't bear the heartbreak. Now, it was too late and I was headed off to college in China.

A knocking sound at the door pulled me from my pit of self loathing and sorrow. "C come in," I stammered trying to get ahold of myself. My father, Gabriel Agreste, waltzed into my room capturing me into a tight hug. "Son," he said, "I didn't know if I could do this tomorrow." He paused giving us time for our breathing to fall in sinc. "I am going to miss you. It won't be the same without you around."

At these words, my heart was filled with joy and love for my father. My mind drifted back to a moment similar to this that we had shared just a year prior. I had just returned from a harrowing battle with an akumatized victim. It had been the hardest battle that I had ever fought in and I was even afraid, for a brief moment, that I may lose my life. Entering my room, I released my transformation, only to find that I was much more injured than I had previously thought.

Blood trickled down the side of my face and my side was already black from what I imagined must be broken ribs. I ignored the pain as best as I could, but I knew that I would not be able to hide my injuries for long. The next day I was supposed to go to fencing lessons and had two photo shoots planned. I laid in my bed debating what I would do when all of the sudden my father rushed into the room.

"Adrien!" he panted. "Are you okay?" I had never seen such a look of fear and concern on my father's face aside from when he had discovered that my mother was gone. I tried to sit up, but the pain was too unbearable. With a load moan, I plopped back down on the bed giving my father a clear picture of how I was feeling.

"I'm so sorry," I heard him whisper. "I have let this go too far. It has to stop." I wanted to ask him what he talking about, but I felt myself falling deeper and deeper towards blackness as the pain took over my body.

I remembered waking up in a hospital room surrounded by flowers and cards wishing me to "get well." Dazed and confused, I tried sitting up but found that I could not. Visions of the recent battle filled my mind as I drifted to and from sleep. I could see Ladybug, brave as she was, pushing me out of the way before another blast could wash over me. My heart soared at the memory of my Lady being so selfless in making sure that I was okay.

My thoughts were interrupted as my father entered the room with an armful of more flowers and cards. A weak smile spread across his face as he realized that I was awake. "I'm glad to see that you are up," he said as he pulled a chair up to my bedside. "There's something that I have to say to you, and I'm not sure how you are going to take it."

Butterflies were already swarming in my head due to the fact that my father was actually there in the hospital room with me. I never would have expected my father to care enough to actually visit me. I figured that he would we have just sent Nathalie or the Gorilla to check up on how I was doing. A nurse came in to check on my vitals and replace the bandages on my forehead. My father just sat patiently waiting for her to leave which totally took me by surprise. Didn't he have important things that he needed to work on?

As soon as the door closed, my father leaned forward and whispered, "I know that you are Chat Noir."

Blood rushed to my face and my vision began to blur as the importance of this revelation sunk in. I couldn't respond sinking further and further into delirium.

"I know this," my father added, slightly pulling me out of my stupor, "because I am Hawkmoth." At this, I lost all sense of feeling within my body and swiftly drifted back into unconsciousness.

I was later released from the hospital with the belief that everything that had been said between my father and me was simply a dream. I was still quite sore and I needed several days of rest. However, I knew that Ladybug would be worried about me. I transformed and jumped out my window climbing onto my roof so that I could call my lady. Luckily she was on patrol and quickly answered.

"Chat!" she proclaimed, "I'm so glad you are alright. I was getting worried when you didn't show up for patrol." She sighed and then added, "You got pretty banged up yesterday. How are you feeling?"

"Nothing that a cat can't bounce back from," I declared enthusiastically. "Don't worry about me M'Lady. I'll be feeling purrfect soon. You can count meowt for tonight, though. I'm still feeling a bit sore."

Ladybug just huffed as she jumped across a roof and replied, "Cat, with puns like those, I know that you are doing just fine. Rest up and I'll see you soon." With that, she abruptly ended the call and I sulked back through my bedroom window.

"Plagg, claws in," I called as the little Kwami flew across the room and planted his face into a wheel of cheese. I was just getting comfortable on my bed when Plagg started mumbling something with his mouth full. "What was that?" I asked not being able to understand a word that he was saying.

Plagg swallowed a chunk of cheese and then moaned, "Why didn't you tell her about your father?"

I sat straight up in my bed with the hairs rising on my arms. Why had Plagg thought that Ladybug needed to know something about my dad? My mind spun as memories of my last conversation with my father came swirling back in. Had all of that actually happened?

"Plagg," I panted, "is my dad... does my dad..."

"Know that you are Chat Noir and claim to be Hawkmoth?" the conceited little cat interrupted. "Yes, yes he does." Then just as quickly as he had started the conversation, Plagg ended it by diving back into the Camembert.

My breathing was harsh and sporadic. My head spun and my heart beat out of my chest as the thoughts of living under the same roof as Hawkmoth overtook me. Not only had my father proclaimed to be the most hated and villainous person in all of France, but he had also admitted to knowing that I was Chat Noir, a superhero who had been fighting against him for all of these years. How long had he known about my secret? Did he even care that he had been fighting his own son?

Anger overwhelmed me at the thought of Hawkmoth, my dad, hurting all of those people, including me. He could have hurt Ladybug and he wouldn't have even cared! I ran out of my room and burst into my father's office.

"How dare you!" I shouted with rage. My father looked up from working on one of his designs with a look of shock and maybe even fear. "How dare you akumatize all of those people! You had no right! And for what? Why did you do it?" I had to pause for a moment to catch my breath. "If you knew I was Chat Noir, then why didn't you just take my miraculous? You would have saved so much trouble!"

Gabriel stood up and slowly walked over to me with a stern and stoic look on his face. "I couldn't take your miraculous with revealing to you who I was. Besides, I still don't know who Ladybug is, and I couldn't accomplish my goal without her miraculous as well."

I froze as I noticed that he spoke of his goal in past tense terms instead of speaking of it as something that he still wanted to do. "Why are you telling me all of this?" I asked hesitantly.

My father then wrapped his arms around me in an unexpected and oddly sincere feeling embrace. "As I watched your last fight," he croaked, "I saw you nearly get killed." He pulled back and brushed a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "I couldn't stand to lose you, too, Adrien." Large tears began to stroll down his face. "I only did this so that I could bring your mother back. But... but if I lose you in the process, then would I really be gaining anything?"

His words took me by complete surprise. Was my father admitting to me that he actually cared for me? I hadn't realized it, but at some point I had begun to cry as well. As soon as I felt the hot tears on my face, I burrowed my face into my father's newly welcoming chest. Hawkmoth, my dad, had been trying to get our miraculouses so that he could revive my mother. Everything made perfect sense; even though I still didn't agree with it.

"I'm done," my father stated breaking the silence. "I'm done hurting people, and I'm done being Hawkmoth." He once again pulled away from our embrace and removed a butterfly broach that had been pinned to his lapel. "Here," he said as he folded the piece of jewelry into my hand, "take this. I never want to see it again. I trust that you will know what to do with it." My father then pushed me out of the room telling me to get rid of the miraculous as quickly as possible.

That moment had been one of the best events that had ever happened in my life. After that day, my father had returned to being the loving and caring father that I had used to know. I snapped out of my reminiscing and was brought back to the present when my father took his hand and ruffled my hair saying, "Make sure to take Plagg with you. You never know when Chat Noir will be needed."

I chuckled, "Dad, you know that Chat hasn't been needed ever since you gave up your miraculous."

Gabriel joined in on the laughter but then added in all seriousness, "Yes, I know. I just want you to be safe, Adrien. Your safety is the most important thing in the world to me." He ruffled my hair one last time and then let go of his grasp on me and exited the room.

Plagg flew out of my pocket and landed on my head. "Geez, what a day. Are you ready for this, Adrien?"

"No," I sighed falling down onto my bed. All I could think about was the fact that I may never see my beautiful lady again. "Am I doing the right thing?" I asked. But my Kwami was already fast asleep on the pillow next to me. "Everything is going to be okay," I told myself as I rolled over allowing myself to fall asleep not knowing what kind of future lay ahead of me. I hoped that this future would one day lead me back to that girl with those mesmerizing bluebell eyes and shimmering blue black hair.

One day... I would see her again...

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Please leave feedback on my writing. Is it well written? Do you like my writing style? What kind of improvements can I make?

Thank you!


	3. Chapter 3: New Beginnings

"I'm so nervous, and I don't know what to wear!" I shouted over the phone as Alya patiently listened on the other end. "I'm finally starting my dream job as one of Gabriel Agreste's fashion designers. Well, of course one day I would like to run my own company, but baby steps... baby steps!" I took a deep breath and then continued my diatribe. "What if I totally screw things up and ruin my chances at furthering my career? Then, all of these years of design school would have pointless!"

I threw my phone on the bed placing it in speaker phone and ran over to my closet. Nothing that I owned looked good enough to wear. I was a fashion designer for Pete's sake and I couldn't leave the house looking like a fashion disaster.

"Marinette," I heard Alya's voice calmly waft out of the phone, "grab your dark skinny jeans and your heeled ankle boots. Pair those with your sheer pink blouse. Don't forget the undershirt." I obeyed Alya's commands. As if she could sense that I had complied to her will, she then continued, "Now, go to your make up table and make yourself look natural. Please don't add too much. Oh, and keep your hair down today. You don't want to look like a schoolgirl anymore."

I fumbled my way towards my makeup somehow managing to trip as I tried putting on my boots. Usually, I did just fine getting myself ready in the mornings. I was always late, but that was besides the point. This time, I was just so flustered that I couldn't seem to get myself together.

"Hey girl," Alya chimed as I was stroking mascara onto my eyelashes, "I have to go. I have work, too, you know. Good luck on your first day!"

With that, she hung up leaving me completely alone to get ready for the most terrifying day of my life. Well, I wasn't completely alone. Of course I had Tikki. "Marinette ," Tikki sung as she flew between me and the mirror, "you are going to do just fine. I believe in you."

My little Kwami always knew just what to say to cheer me up. "Thanks Tikki," I said as I cupped her in my hands, "it helps knowing that you will be there with me."

"Of course!" she squealed taking off to fly circles around me, "I wouldn't miss your first day as a fashion designer for the world!"

I quickly finished applying my make up and brushed my hair. Looking in the mirror, I tried to decide if I had pulled off the adult look. Sure, I no longer looked like a high school fan girl, but did I really look mature enough to have this serious of a job? I decided that there was nothing more that I could do, so I grabbed my purse and headed downstairs through the bakery grabbing a couple of pastries for the road.

Getting into my car, I just had to laugh at myself. I was heading to my first day working a real job and I was still living with my parents. How would I explain that to my new coworkers if they found out? Would they ever understand the fact that I still liked helping my parents run the bakery? With this new job, maybe I would finally have enough money to get a place of my own.

When I arrived at Mr. Agreste's building, I realized that I didn't even remember driving there. My mind had been so overtaken by thinking about everything that could go with this day, that the actuall memory of driving was nowhere to be found. I hoped that I hadn't run any red lights or cut off any pedestrians in my distracted state. Finding a parking spot was not too hard seeing as how I was over thirty minutes earlier than I was supposed to be. That was a first and most likely a last for me.

My hair was greeted by the gentle breeze as I stepped out of the car locking and closing the door. I had barely gotten ten steps before I realized that my purse was not resting upon my shoulder like it should have been. I froze as the realization of the grave mistake that I had just made sunk in.

"No, no! This can't be happening," I shrieked as tears started to well up in my eyes. My whole world came crashing down around me as I thought about everything that was locked in my car. First of all, I would not be able to enter the building without my ID. I couldn't even call someone to come and pick the lock of my car because my phone was still in my purse! Even if I could get in the building, I didn't have my sketchbook with any of my designs that I was supposed to be presenting to Mr. Agreste that afternoon. This was a complete disaster.

I ran back to my car looking in the window and spotting everything that I needed. It was all so close, yet so far away. If only I could have transformed, then I could have used my lucky charm to get a new set of keys. However, as soon as that thought entered my mind, I knew it was futile because Tikki was still in my purse. Just as I was about to knock on the window to alert Tikki of the terrible situation I had gotten myself into, I heard footsteps come up behind me.

"Need some help?" a gentle male voice asked.

"Y yes," I responded without even looking to see who was talking to me, "it's my first day of work and like an idiot, I locked my keys, along with everything that I need, in my car." I could feel the tears that I had been trying to hold back overflow and start to stream down my face.

"I'm so sorry," the kind voice said, "that is a terrible way to start your day. Maybe I can help make it better." He chuckled and then added, "You really haven't changed at all have you, Marinette?"

My heart skipped a beat when this stranger said my name. Did this guy know me? I quickly turned around only to find myself face to face with none other than my longtime high school crush, Adrien Agreste. My breathing became haggard as my pace quickened and my palms began to sweat. I became lost in his soft green eyes that looked exactly the same as I had remembered them. However, the rest of Adrien's features had matured making him even cuter and even more dreamy looking than he had been four years before, if that was even possible. He still had the same golden blonde hair, but had styled it in a slightly shorter more refined cut. His face had thinned out some and his body definitely had some more muscle to it. I caught myself beginning to blush and flung my eyes to the ground.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked in an angelic voice. How was I supposed to respond? I couldn't just tell him that I was feeling overwhelmed at seeing my long lost crush for the first time in years.

"I uh... just... it's that... you... and well... my keys... work... and this...ugh disaster," I stammered just like I used to do around him when I had been in the tenth grade. What was I doing? I was supposed to be an adult now, but I definitely did not feel like one. I wondered if all adults felt this way; as if they were just mumbling kids who were expected to be something different being trapped in an older body. Does one ever truly really grow up?

Adrien just laughed while he pulled out his phone. "Oh Mari, you are still as cute as ever," he smiled sending my heart into palpitations. "I mean" he added, "it's just that... I haven't heard you stammer like that since we were really young. It reminded me of when we were just silly kids in school together." He blushed as he started typing something on his phone. "Do you have some kind of roadside assistance service? I can call them for you if you would like."

Adrien handed me the phone after he had dialed the number. After a long time of giving my information, I was promised that an agent would arrive in about fifteen minutes.

"I can wait here with you if you need me to," Adrien offered. "My shoot doesn't start for another hour. I will have plenty of time to get ready."

"Your shoot?" I squeaked in a much louder voice than I had intended. "I thought that you had quit modeling?"

The wind picked up causing Adrien's perfect hair to dance across his face as he formed an innocent looking smile. "Yes, well," he said as he scratched the back of his neck, "I haven't really found a job since graduating from college. My dad thought it would be a good idea for me to resume my modeling career for now. At least until I find something else that I want to do."

I found myself bending over with uncontrollable laughter at what he had just told me.

"Hey!" he shouted in a playful voice, "it's not nice to make fun of someone just because they still don't know what to do with their life."

I straightened back up still nearly being able to hold in my laughter. "I'm not laughing at you," I giggled while gasping for air. "I'm laughing at us." I reached my hand up to flick a strand of hair out of his face. "I still live with my parents! How pathetic is that?"

Adrien pouted while crossing his arms, "what is so pathetic about that?" Other cars were beginning to arrive and I could see many well dressed very mature looking adults entering the building. A woman dressed in high heels and a tight skirt just shook her head as she caught a glimpse of the still pouting Adrien. I could tell that she was not amused by the kids who were hanging out at her workplace.

"Don't tell me that you still live with your dad?" I jokingly chuckled.

"What if I said I did?" he said with rebuttal in his voice somehow sticking his lower lip out even further. "It's kind of hard to find a place of my own when I have only just returned from China."

Then, he burst out laughing just like me for who knows how long. A few minutes later, after we had shared the generalities of what we had been up to for the last four years, the man arrived to unlock my car. Once I had grabbed my things and repeatedly thanked the man, Adrien walked with me to the entrance of the building.

I couldn't believe how perfect this day had become. I was about to walk across the threshold to begin my dream job alongside the most amazing boy that I had ever met. I took a deep breath as I took my first step into a world that was full of opportunities. I couldn't help but smile as I caught a glimpse of the boy holding the door next to me with his kind, green eyes and playful grin. I had a wonderful feeling that this was going to be the beginning of something new and beautifully, utterly special.

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Thanks for reading. Feedback is appreciated. Updates will be coming sporadically. Please let me know if you like the story so far. This is my first fanfic, and I am excited with all of the possibilities that this story offers.


	4. Chapter 4: Something New

When I woke up this morning, I did not expect this day to go well. I had gone a blissful four years without ever having to think of monotonous photo shoots or being the famous model, Adrien Agreste. No one in China knew who I was, so I was able to actually live as a normal guy. I didn't even have the fame of being Chat Noir seeing as how there were no villains to fight. Even though I missed being Chat, it was nice to live a life out of the spotlight for a while.

The entire limo ride with the Gorilla was an unhappy one. I wanted desperately to be back on my bicycle with the freedom to go anywhere on my own. After the Gorilla dropped me off in front of my dad's building, I caught a glimpse of a girl in obvious distress. The Chat in me would not allow me to move on without trying to help her.

For some reason, my heart began to flutter when I realized that this girl was Marinette, an old friend from high school. I had not seen any of my friends since I had returned from China only a few days ago, and I was elated to run into one so quickly.

"So, you're going to be working for my father," I said after we had called the roadside assistance company. "I guess we will have that in common." I must have had a big, goofy grin on my face because I was so happy that I would be working in the same building as a friend which had never happened to me before.

Marinette just blushed as she looked to the ground, "that's s so cool, Adrien. M maybe we will see each other s sometimes."

"I'm sure we will," I smirked. We spent the rest of the time talking about the highlights of our last four years. I told her all about China and how she would enjoy visiting it someday. For some reason, I had the strange urge of wanting to be there with her when she did.

After she had gotten her car unlocked, grabbed her things, and I had walked her into the building, we stood in the lobby awkwardly together. We both had different places that we needed to be, but neither of us wanted to say goodbye. There was still just so much to catch up on. Marinette looked at me as if she wanted to say something, but nothing ever came out of her mouth. Multiple people walked around us as they headed off to begin their work day.

"Hey Marinette," I said shyly breaking the silence, "would you like to meet me for lunch?" Her face turned beat red as she crossed one of her arms to grab the other rubbing it as it still hung by her side. "I mean...it's just that...well, it's your first day working here, and you probably don't really know anyone else, and I... um... have been gone for so long that I'm not sure if I will know anyone here either."

Marinette looked really uncomfortable with my question. Maybe she already had lunch plans, or really just didn't want me hanging around her all day. I wasn't even sure why I wanted to spend time with her so badly anyway. I had never felt like that about her before. "It's okay if you don't want to," I suggested, "we could do it some other time."

"N no!" Marinette quickly blurted. "I mean yes. I don't want to do another time. I mean... maybe I would, but today. Today would be perfect, Adrien."

I couldn't hide my smile at her acceptance of my offer. Today was already going much better than I had ever hoped it would.

When I made it to the dressing area to prep for my shoot, I was scolded for being late.

"We only have fifteen minutes until the photographer wants to get started and you still look like you just rolled out of bed!" Carla, my new hair and makeup artist huffed. She shoved an armful of clothing into my arms and demanded that I get changed quicker than I could sing happy birthday. When I came out of the dressing room, she just rolled her eyes and plopped me into the chair immediately throwing a layer of powder on my face.

It had been four years since I had had to wear any make up and the foreign substance felt funny on my face. I looked in the mirror to see a boy that I didn't recognize and sighed at the thought of people once again seeing me this way. Being a model that showcased a fake sense of perfection was never something that I had enjoyed. I regrettably wondered which Adrien Marinette would prefer. The picture perfect model, or the down to earth normal looking guy.

The whole morning was taken up by modeling in many different outfits. The photographer was not pleased with my lack of practice and my distracted behavior. I kept thinking about where I would take Marinette to lunch and what we would talk about when we got there.

"Are you sure you are the same Adrien Agreste who I used to photograph?" Nico, the most prestigious photographer in the business questioned. "Get your act together kid or you will not last long in this industry. I'm only working with you right now because I know that you used to have talent."

My feelings might have been hurt if I wasn't so giddy about seeing Marinette again. Honestly, I could have cared less if my modeling career was a wash; however, I didn't want to disappoint my father. It wasn't that I was afraid of him, but honestly, I just wanted to make him happy. Plus, I needed this gig to work out until I found something else to do.

"Thank you, Nico," I said flashing him my most modelesque smile I could muster, "I'm sorry for being so rusty. I will work harder to up my game, I promise."

He just turned his nose up and sneered, "You better. I expect to find someone different the next time we work together or I can't promise that there will be a third time."

"Where did you want to go?" Marinette asked completely scaring me from behind. I had just changed back into my normal clothes and walked back down to the lobby. I had pulled out my phone to text her, but realized that I didn't have her number. When I heard her voice, I jumped and lost my grip on my phone dropping it to the floor.

Marinette just giggled and bent down to pick up my phone. "I thought that I was the clumsy one," she grinned as she handed me my phone. My cheeks flushed out of embarrassment as my eyes met hers. When Marinette caught a glimpse of my face, she burst out into full on laughter.

I wondered what she could be laughing at when I realized that I had neglected to remove my make up when I had changed clothes. I lifted my hands touching my cheeks only to find that they were burning hot. "Oh no," I groaned, "I can't believe that I forgot to take this off."

Marinette continued to laugh a beautiful laugh as she reached into her bag pulling out a packet of make up wipes. I could see a tear running down her cheek as she looked up to me and tried to compose herself. "It looks really nice," she said with laughter still in her throat. "I just wasn't expecting to see you like that." She pulled a wipe out and reached it to my face. "Here, use this to remove it. I'm sure you are uncomfortable." She held it there for a moment until I realized that I was supposed to take it from her.

Our fingers touched as I grabbed the wipe and we kept our hands there together longer than we should have. My cheek tingled and my heart raced at her touch. "Th thanks," I stammered as Marinette pulled her hand away with an intense blush on her face. I proceeded to scrub my face to reveal my bright red checks below. "Umm... there's a new Italian restaurant down the street that we could try out, if that's fine with you," I suggested trying to avert her attention from the make up that I was still struggling to rubbing at.

"That's sounds great!" she exclaimed as she pulled out another make up wipe and started massaging my left eye. "Man, this stuff is really caked on here. No wonder your pictures always look so flawless."She paused, but then we both just burst out laughing.

Once the make up had been successfully removed, we headed to the restaurant. Marinette asked me more about my time in China, and I asked her about some of her designs.

After we made it to the restaurant and ordered our food, Marinette asked, "Have you seen Nino yet?"

"No," I answered, "I'm actually planning on meeting him at the jewelry store right after work today." As soon as I said those words, I knew that I had made a huge mistake. How could I have forgotten that Marinette was Alya's best friend?

Marinette raised her eyebrow saying, "The jewelry store? What could two guys possibly be doing at the jewelry store?" Then all of the sudden it clicked. I could see the light bulb going off in her head. "No way! Nino is going to propose to Alya?"

Crap. Nino was going to kill me for this. I hadn't even had the chance to see him since I had come back, and I had already spilled his biggest secret. "You can't tell Alya," I pleaded. "Please tell me you can keep a secret!"

Marinette just giggled, "Me? Keep a secret? I am the master at keeping secrets." She leaned in and looked me straight in the eyes. "You have to let me come. There's no way I could trust Nino to pick out a good enough ring. He has no taste in fashion."

"That's why he invited me," I said proudly puffing my chest out a bit.

Marinette just gave me a blank look. "No offense, but you are just a model. One that is way out of practice even. Come on, you have to bring a fashion designer!"

She did make a valid point. The only reason I ever dressed fashionably was because my dad always picked out my clothing. I had never had to make a real fashion decision in my life. Just then, the waitress came with our food. I reached for my first bite of chicken linguini, but Marinette just stared me down expecting an answer.

"Fine," I conceded lowering the fork from my mouth, "I'll call Nino once we are done eating and ask if you can come. You happy?"

Marinette just shook her head with a mischievous smile on her face and took a bite of her spaghetti. This girl was something else.

"You did what?" Nino yelled over the phone when I mentioned to him that I had accidentally spilled the beans of his proposal. "When did you even talk to Marinette? Why did that even come up?"

I explained to Nino everything that had transpired with Marinette that day and he seemed to calm down a little. "Dude, I'm seriously glad that you have had a good time, but a little discretion would have been nice." He sighed and then added, "Oh well, if she already knows about it anyway, then I guess it would be nice to have her there. Just promise me that you won't tell her anything else."

Marinette was extremely cute at the jewelry store. She tried on just about every ring they had and listed detailed reasons on why each one didn't work. Everytime Nino found one that he thought was perfect, she shot it down. I just stood there watching as she scrambled around from case to case with excitement.

"Hey man," Nino sighed as he patted my shoulder, "I thought you were here to help."

Of course that's why I was there. I had just gotten so distracted by watching Marinette, that I had completely forgotten to look around myself. "Sorry," I apologized, "I'll start looking."

I walked over to a jewelry case that was tucked into the far corner of the room. It was filled with a plethora of unique looking rings. There were rings that would spiral up one's finger and rings with beautiful Celtic designs. One ring in particular caught my attention. It was silver and had a delicate fox head with a tail that wrapped around only to curve slightly below the head with the two ends not connecting. I knew that this did not look like an engagement ring, but something about it screamed Alya.

"What are you looking at?" Marinette asked as she peered over my shoulder. Her unexpected close proximity sent chills down my spine.

"Um... well, I kind of like that fox one," I said while pointing at the ring. Marinette's eyes lit up as she motioned for the clerk to come over and open up the case. She placed the ring on her finger and danced over to where Nino was standing.

"Adrien found the perfect ring!" she jubilantly proclaimed. "This is so Alya. She will love it!"

Marinette removed the ring and Nino payed for it. As we walked out the door, she elbowed me in the chest saying, "I really underestimated you, Pretty Boy. I guess you do have some fashion sense after all." We both laughed.

After we said our goodbyes to Nino, I walked Marinette back to the parking lot where her car was parked. She would not stop talking about how much Alya was going to love that ring the entire walk back. I thought it was adorable how much she cared about her friend.

When she reached towards the handle of her car, I stopped her by leaning against the door. I didn't want my time with Marinette to end. I hadn't enjoyed spending time with someone so much in a long time.

"Adrien," she sighed, "I really should go help out at the bakery. I promised my parents I would be there an hour ago."

Of course she had to go. What was I doing? A gust of wind came through throwing her loose hair into her face. I realized that I had never seen her hair down before and I really liked the look. It had also grown significantly over the years stretching a good bit past her shoulders. Now that I was paying attention, a lot had changed about Marinette making her no longer look like the young girl that I remembered. Her features were definitely more womanly and I nearly lost my breath gazing at her beauty.

I reached up brushing her hair from her eyes saying, "I love seeing your hair like this, Mari. In fact, I wouldn't mind seeing it that way again during lunch tomorrow." I flashed her a big toothy grin.

Marinette's face brightened like a tomato as she tightened her grip on her purse. "Are y you inviting me to lunch a again?" she stuttered.

I smirked enjoying seeing her all flustered. "Well, I guess I am. What do you say?"

Mari closed her eyes and blurted out, "I I'd love to!" The she opened her car door and jumped in shouting, "See you tomorrow! Bye!"

After Marinette drove away and I headed towards the limo, Plagg flew to my side. "Adrien! Did I just witness some Chat Noir flirting going on?"

I hadn't even realized that I was being all that flirtatious, but once Plagg mentioned it, I couldn't deny it. "Uh... I guess so," I shyly responded.

Plagg just burst out laughing. "Good for you kid! Good for you!"

I joined him in his laughter. Who cares if I had acted like Chat Noir. I am Chat Noir! The only reason I ever acted any differently in the suit anyway was because I felt more at ease when I was in that form. Maybe I was finally beginning to feel comfortable with just being Adrien. The flirtatious, pun making, fun loving cat always felt like a more honest representation of who I truly was. If that was beginning to slip out as Adrien, then I wasn't going to stop it. I would embrace who I was and hopefully those around me would accept that part of me as well. I am Chat and Chat is Adrien.


	5. Chapter 5: Getting to Know You

"Tikki, I cannot believe the day that I just had!" I squealed while jumping on my bed and burying my face in my oversized cat pillow. My heart was pounding and butterflies were swarming inside of me. Tikki flew over and landed on the pillow next to me.

"Do you still like Adrien?" she asked me in a singsong voice.

I had thought that I had gotten over my long time high school crush after he had gone off to college. I had four years to convince myself that I was over him, but who was I kidding? I had never found another boy that I was interested in, and seeing him today just brought back all of those old stored up emotions. However, this time the emotions felt stronger and more intense. Maybe it was because he was actually showing somewhat of an interest in me unlike in the past. There was also something different about him that I couldn't quite put my finger on. I just moaned in my pillow choosing not to answer Tikki.

"It's alright Marinette," she said. "You don't have to tell me. I already know how you feel."

I turned over to look at the ceiling with both of my hands tucked under my head. "You know, Tikki," I sighed, "something about seeing Adrien today made me really miss Chat."

Tikki flew over landing on my chest. "Oh, really?" she chirped. "And what makes you say that?"

"I don't know," I shrugged, "I guess seeing one long lost friend made me want to see another one as well. I know it sounds silly, but I really miss Chat."

I sat up placing Tikki to my side pulling my knees up and wrapping my arms around my legs. "I used to always find Chat annoying, but now I would give anything to hear him make one of his terrible puns." A warm tear found its way down my cheek as I added, "We were partners for so long. I trusted him with my life and believe it or not, he was one of my best friends. I can't stand not knowing where he is or how he is doing. It's eating me away inside." I leaned my head forward resting my face on my knees as I softly began to cry.

"Awe, don't feel too bad Marinette," Tikki comforted me as she rubbed against my cheek, "I'm sure you will see him again someday. He won't be gone forever. Just think... if he really went off to college like he said he was going to, then maybe he is back just like Adrien is."

Tikki's words filled my spirit with hope. Chat had said he was only leaving because he was going somewhere else for college. Maybe he really was back. But how would I find him? It's not like Paris needed us to do nightly patrols anymore, and if Ladybug was spotted, then mass hysteria might ensue.

"Tikki," I groaned, "how would I even find Chat Noir if he is really back? It's not like either of us are transforming anymore."

Tikki flew to the front of my face and lifted my chin off of my knees looking at me directly in the eyes. "You will know him when you find him, Marinette. Even if he is not dressed like Chat Noir, he is still the same person." Tikki had a huge grin on her face. "Just look for someone who acts like Chat, and you will have found your guy. I know you will find him if you are paying attention. It may not be obvious at first, but Chat is Chat. His qualities will eventually shine through no matter who he is under the mask."

With that, Tikki took off and fell asleep on my pillow. I decided to turn off the lights and do the same. Before I fell asleep, I couldn't help but to think about what Tikki had said about finding Chat. Did she know something that I didn't know? Did she know Chat's secret identity? I tried to push those thoughts out of my mind, but they remained until I must have fallen asleep.

I dreamed that I was Ladybug and I was running across the rooftops of Paris. I could see someone dressed in black in the distance running away from me. No matter how fast I ran or swung on my yoyo, I could not catch him. In fact he was getting further and further away. I finally gave up and stood there crying because I knew that would never see Chat Noir again. 

"Where would you like to go to lunch today?" Adrien asked as we met up in the lobby after a long morning of work. "I picked yesterday, so it's only fair that you pick today." He flashed me a big silly grin that I was still not used to seeing him use.

For some reason, I had been craving Mexican food all day, so I told him so. He agreed that that would be a good choice and we proceeded to walk out the door together.

"So... Marinette," he said awkwardly as we walked towards the restaurant together, "are you... have you been... seeing anybody?"

I froze in my tracks. Was Adrien Agreste asking me if I had a boyfriend? Why would he even care? Did that mean that he could be interested in me? Or maybe he just had a girlfriend of his own and he wanted to make sure that I was taken, too. That way he wouldn't be leading me on.  
When Adrien realized that I had stopped walking, he turned around and came to stand in front of me face to face. I was too embarrassed to look at him, so I studied the pink floral designs that were printed on my shoes instead.

"Um... no," I quivered, "uh...what about you?" I winced as I expected him to tell me all about this amazing girl that he met during his time in China. He would tell me how perfect they are for each other and how I would get to meet her someday soon.

"Well, actually," he began here it comes, "I was kind of hoping that we could spend more time together." I looked up to see his rosy red cheeks and piercing green eyes gazing right me. I could feel my pulse thrumming in my ears as Adrien continued, "I just... feel so bad for never truly getting to know you in high school. You were always there, but I never really paid attention." He reached forward and brushed the hair that was covering my face behind my ear causing that thrumming to become even louder. "I am paying attention now, Marinette. I just hope that you want to get to know me as well."

I couldn't breath. Adrien wanted to spend more time with me. He wanted to actually get closer to me and to learn more about who I am. All of my childhood fantasies were coming true and I could hardly function. I couldn't talk. I couldn't move. I couldn't even blink.

"Are you okay?" Adrien asked as he placed a hand on my shoulder. "You look like you need to sit down." When I didn't respond, he grabbed my hand and lead me to a nearby bench forcing me to sit. I looked down to see that he was still holding my hand as he gazed at me with concern in his eyes.

What was I doing? I was making a complete fool of myself. I had to snap out of it and actually say something to Adrien. But what would I say? Would I tell him that I had always had a crush on him and that I was completely freaking out right now? No, I couldn't do that. I had to play it cool.

"I-I," I finally managed to squeak, "I would love to get to know you more, too, Adrien!"

Adrien just chuckled and had a beautiful smile on his face. "I'm glad to hear that," he said as he stood up now offering both of his hands to help me stand. "Now let's go eat; I'm starving!" 

Lunch was rather uneventful compared to the walk to get there. We met for lunch everyday that week sharing more and more information about our lives. I learned about how Adrien and his father had grown closer over the years. Apparently, his father had been pretty cold to him after his mother had died, but had finally gotten past that becoming a real father again. I could see in Adrien's eyes how much his relationship with his father used to hurt him. I wished I had known about this when we were younger. I would have tried to comfort him. However, his whole demeanor warmed up when he spoke of his current relationship with his father. I was glad to see him so happy.

"Are you planning of going to my father's gala tomorrow evening?" Adrien asked as we were waiting on our food on Friday.

"Uh... yea," I responded, "all of his designers are expected to be there." I took a bite of bread and then added, "I'm really nervous. I have never been to anything like this before." This was embarrassing for me to say because I was sure that Adrien must have attended hundreds of these events.

Adrien played with his fork and admitted, "It's been a long time since I've been to one, and I'm kind of nervous, too." Then, he put the fork down and outstretched his arm grabbing onto my hand. "Would you like to go with me. You know... so we don't have to be so nervous?"

Electricity flowed through my body emanating from the hand that he was touching. "A-are you asking m-me out on a date?" I stammered. I shouldn't have been so surprised. We had been going out for lunch everyday and he had told me that he wanted to get to know me better. But this... an actual date? I felt like my heart was going to explode.

He just laughed, "Y-yea, I guess I am." His eyes sparkled and his smile nearly melted my heart. "So... what do you say, Mari?"

Dreams really do come true. "Yes!" I squealed much louder than I had intended to. "I would love to go with you, Adrien!"

"Alya, you have to come over right now! There is so much that I have to tell you!" I screamed after I had answered the phone. Alya had left Monday morning to go to the United States to work on some important news story for work. I had not had the chance to tell her anything about my first week of work or of my time with Adrien. She was going to flip out when I told her everything.

"Okay girl," she responded, "I will be there in about an hour."

That gave me some time to put some finishing touches on my dress design for the gala the next day. For some reason, I had not been able to get Ladybug and Chat Noir out of my mind all week. I wanted so badly to become Ladybug once again, but I knew that that was out of the question, for now. I decided to make a Ladybug themed dress for the event. I grinned as I looked at the drawing of the poofy knee length red dress with black polka dots. The tight sleeves would reach my elbow and there would be a collared neckline. A sleek black ribbon would be placed around my waist. Just as I had signed my name at the bottom of the design, I heard a knock at the door.

"Okay, Marinette, spill the beans!" she demanded as she entered my room. Seeing her face immediately reminded me of the ring that Adrien and I had helped Nino pick out for her. I wondered when he was going to propose, but I had to push those thoughts out of my head.

"Adrien Agreste asked me out on a date!" I squealed as I grabbed both of her hands and started jumping up and down.

Alya just started at me and then pulled her hands from mine placing them on my shoulders to hold me still. "Hold on girl," she said skeptically, "when did Adrien get back? When did you see him? And what made him ask you out?!"

I told her everything starting with how he helped me out in the parking lot and ending with his asking me out.

"Wow," she said as she sat down in my computer chair, "I'm gone for less than a week and your entire life changes, Marinette. I'm so happy for you! What are you going to wear?"

I pulled out my sketchbook and showed her my design. "That's gorgeous, Mari! He is going to love you in that dress!" Then, she started rubbing the Ladybug necklace that Nino had gotten for her on their first Christmas as a couple. "You know, that pattern reminds me a lot of Ladybug. I wonder whatever happened to her and Chat Noir. They kind of just vanished into thin air."

Her words sent a pang of guilt running through my stomach. No one had taken Ladybug's disappearance harder than Alya. For a while she had kept the Ladyblog going begging people to report any sightings or to give any leads on their whereabouts. However, she eventually had to shut it down when it became painfully clear that no one would ever see the famed superheroes again.

"I'm sure they're doing fine," I assured her. "They must just be living out their normal lives. Being a superhero was probably pretty exhausting, and with no one being akumatized anymore they figured that they were no longer needed."

Alya sighed, "I know your right, Marinette. It's just that... I really do miss them."

"I do too," I agreed. "I really wish I could see them again." I hadn't transformed since the night Chat and I had said goodbye. I had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be Ladybug and of course I missed Chat dearly.

"Well," Alya said as she stood up, "I'll let you get to work. I know you want your dress to look perfect. You better get started."

As soon as she walked out the door, I began gathering materials and pinning pieces together. Tomorrow was going to be perfect. I sung quietly to myself and Tikki flew around the room handing me pins and various other things as I needed them. I was glad to still have Tikki by my side even though Ladybug was no longer needed. I didn't know what I would do if she ever had to leave me. I shuddered at the thought and continued on completely lost in happiness and anticipation of the evening to come.


	6. Chapter 6: Suspicions

As I slipped on my green oxford shirt and my tuxedo jacket, Plagg actually complimented me saying, "Wow, kid you dress up nice. Someone might actually think that you like this girl."

I looked at myself in the mirror straightening up my black bow tie. I loved the feeling of the silky smooth fabric between my fingertips. "Plagg," grumbled, "I do like her. I like her more and more everyday. It was stupid of me to never notice her before. I had always been so preoccupied with my crush on Ladybug, that I missed out on an amazing girl that had been right front of me. Well I guess technically she was behind me." I laughed a nervous laugh.

Plagg flew over and landed on my shoulder causing a sudden stench of stinky cheese to make its way through my nostrils. "So..." he said in a mocking tone, "you don't like Ladybug anymore?"

This question caught me completely off guard. I had spent many nights crying myself to sleep in college because of my lost love. Over the years, the tears dried up and I even stopped thinking about her altogether. I knew that dreaming of seeing her again would only bring heart ache and pain, so I decided to let that dream go. Some part of me would always love Ladybug, but my heart would no longer be taken by her.

"I will always like her to some extent, Plagg," I retorted, "but I am ready for something real that can actually flourish. I've really been enjoying my time with Marinette, and unlike Ladybug, she seems to be enjoying her time with me as well. It's exciting having someone actually return my feelings, whatever they are, for once."

Plagg continued munching on his cheese, so I brushed him off of my shoulder. I didn't need stinky cheesy crumbs on my nice jacket. "You know," he mumbled with his mouth still full, "you might see Ladybug again someday. What will you do then?"

Again, his question caught me off guard. I had lost all hope of ever seeing my lady again a long time ago. Even if I did see her, I wasn't sure I could ever feel the same way about her again. It had been too long, and my heart was already moving on.

"I don't know, Plagg," I said as I started walking down the hallway and towards the front door. "Why did you ask that?"

Plagg landed on my head so he didn't have to try catching up. I could have sworn that he had gained weight over the years. Not using his powers to transform me was a very bad thing for him. "I'm just saying," he sung, "you might run into her whenever you least expect it. Just keep you eyes peeled kid. Look for the girl under the mask, not Ladybug."

I was getting annoyed. Why would Plagg be bringing this up now? I was about to go on my first date with Marinette and he wouldn't shut up about my first crush. "Plagg, just forget it, okay? I can't be thinking about Ladybug when I am pursuing Marinette." I said this a lot more harshly then I meant to, but I hoped that Plagg had got my point. I was trying to move on, so I needed him to move on, too.

As the door to the bakery was opened, I was greeted by the scent of fresh cookies and cinnamon buns. It had been years since I had set foot in the Dupain-Chang bakery and the smell brought back many memories of friends and good times.

"Marinette will be down in a few minutes," her mother, Sabine, hummed. "It's so nice to see you again, Adrien. I know that Marinette has been thrilled with your sudden return in her life."  
"I've enjoyed being with her as well," I hastily replied. "Your daughter is a special young woman. I was lucky to run into her again."

Sabine then took me by surprise catching me in a big hug. "Just treat her well," she whispered.

Just then, we were interrupted by the sound of footsteps coming down the stairs. I turned to look upon Marinette as she entered the room. She was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. My heart raced and my fingers felt numb at the sight of her. She had her hair pulled up into a loose bun with a few curls dangling by her face. Her dress was clearly Ladybug inspired which was a tender reminder of the conversation that Plagg and I had just had. Sleek, black heels elongated her legs making her eyes almost level with mine.

"You look amazing," I complimented. "All heads are going to turn to catch a glimpse of your beauty. It's a good thing that your knight in dapper attire will be there to protect you."

Sabine giggled and Marinette just rolled her eyes walking forward grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the door. "Come on Sir Knight," she said with regal, "we wouldn't want to miss the ball now would we?"

I opened the door of the limo for Marinette and then I went to other side to get in myself. Upon entering the car, I was hit with the scent of Marinette's sweet perfume. It wasn't an overwhelming smell; instead it was quite inviting making me want to get ever closer to the wearer. Even though all I wanted to do was nuzzle and cuddle the sweet smelling girl next to me, I held myself back. I looked over at her red polka dot dress and was given great inspiration for a conversation starter.

"You're still a fan of Ladybug and Chat Noir I see," I said with a smirk. No one, besides Plagg, had mentioned the famed superheroes to me since I had arrived back in Paris; I figured that they must have been forgotten.

Marinette looked down and brushed her dress flattening it out as much as she could. "Uhh... y-yea," she stuttered, "they did so much for our city. I was recently reminded of them and wanted to make a dress in memory of Ladybug." She then started rubbing her fingers on the ribbon of her dress lingering them over a tiny green paw print clearly representing Chat Noir that was sewn into the material. "I'm sure that they are still out there somewhere," she dreamily stated, "they must miss each other a lot."

I began thinking about how Ladybug must feel about my absence. I hadn't seen her since that night that we said goodbye to one another so many years before. I had never thought about her missing me before, but on some level she must. We had been partners for so long that there was just no way that she couldn't be missing Chat Noir.

As I was picturing her soft bluebell eyes and dark black hair, I happened to look up at Marinette who surprisingly had those same features. How had I never noticed that before? Was there a slight chance that my Ladybug could have been so close to me all along, and that she was sitting there next to me right now?

As a teenager, I could have never thought that such a coincidence would have been possible, but now, I wasn't so sure. I certainly was enjoying my time with Marinette and looked forward to getting to know her more. Whether she was my lady or not, I would appreciate every moment that I got to spend with her. If by some chance she miraculously ended up being Ladybug, I would be the happiest guy in the world. But there was no way that that would ever happen. After all, she was just Marinette, a shy and sweet girl. She was nothing like the brave and confident Ladybug.

"Are you okay?" Marinette asked as she noticed that I was staring at her.

"Oh. Sure." I said as I fumbled with my bow tie. I then leaned back in the seat with one arm resting on the back of it. "I was just thinking about what you had said about Ladybug and Chat Noir." I then put on the cheesiest grin that I could and and leaned forward saying, "I'm pawsitively sure that Chat Noir must be missing his Lady." Then I whispered, "But I am also sure that he has probably moved on and found another princess to steal his heart."

"Shall we?" I asked as I reached out my hand to help Marinette out of the limo. As she took my hand, I became obsessed with the gentle smoothness of hers. I did not let go as we waltzed up the stairs and entered the building. As we entered the large ballroom, we were bombarded with the sound of live classical music, the smell of many different types of Hors d'Oeuvres, and the sight of many beautiful clothing designs on display.

I could feel Marinette's grasp tighten around my fingers as we were approached by a famous fashion designer who proceeded to make small talk about the dress that Marinette had made. "That was Roberto Giovanni an extremely prestigious designer from Italy," she panted, "and he loved my dress!"

"Of course he did," I slyly stated, "anyone could spot that your designs are a bug deal." I laughed quite pleased with my joke.

Marinette finally pulled her hand from mine placing both of her hands on her hips. "Alright Sir Knight," she spat, "that's three puns already this evening. What's gotten into you?" Then she mumbled more to herself than to me, "I would have never expected to hear puns from you."

I hadn't realized that I had never really used puns as Adrien before. That was always something that I did as Chat Noir. Did my puns get on Marinette's nerves? Ladybug had always hated them, too. Why did girls always hate on my puns?

"I'm sorry," I apologized, "It's just that I was starting to feel comfortable around you. I guess I've always secretly liked to use puns. Is that a problem?"

The expression on Marinette's face softened and she began to play with the ribbon on her dress again. "N-no," she said shyly, "they just remind me of someone that I used to know is all."

Before I could respond, a server came by with a plate of calamari. It was deep fried to golden perfection and was served with a mouth watering white sauce that tasted somewhere between a tartar sauce and ranch dressing. By the time we had had our fill of the delectable squid, the moment of the pun conversation had passed. I had wondered who she could have known that I had reminded her of, but the delicious morsels of goodness quickly took my mind off of it.

"Adrien," I heard my father say as he approached us from behind, "would you mind if I borrowed your date for awhile so I can introduce her as my newest employee?"

I agreed sending Marinette off with my father. I watched as she boldly walked side by side with my dad. The nervous girl that I had once known was nowhere to be seen. She paraded around with such confidence and bravery that I could have sworn that she looked just like Ladybug. I decided to take this opportunity of solitude to head to the bathroom.

Thankfully, I had the forethought to grab a handful of cheese from a serving platter on my way because Plagg immediately flew out of my pocket and started engorging himself. "I don't understand how you are still always so hungry," I complained, "it's not like you ever do anything."

"That's not fair, Adrien," he grumbled, "its not my fault that your father gave up being Hawkmoth and that you no longer need to transform. Give a Kwami a break!"

I decided to wash off my face allowing the cool water to help clear my mind. "Plagg," I started slowly, "do you think that Marinette could be Ladybug?" I knew that what I had just said sounded stupid, but I wanted Plagg to shoot it down so I would get these crazy thoughts out of my head.

Plagg kept eating but answered with his mouth full, "Sure. She certainly looks like Ladybug doesn't she?"

My body felt like it had been struck by lightning at his words. "What are you saying, Plagg?"

Before he could answer, footsteps were heard walking towards the door forcing him to retreat back into my pocket. We would have to resume this conversation later. I reentered the ballroom and caught sight of Marinette standing among a group of elite designers. They all seemed to be listening intently to what she had to say making every fiber in my being wish that I could hear as well.

As she finished speaking, she looked in my direction locking eyes with mine. She gave me the biggest, most beautiful smile that I had ever seen making it hard for me to breath. She had stolen my heart and I was falling at a whirlwind speed for this amazingly talented and spectacular girl right in front of me.


	7. Chapter 7: The Letter

Everything about this evening had been a dream come true. First of all, my beloved Adrien with his gorgeous green eyes and golden blonde hair was my escort. Then, Mr. Agreste introduced me to the best fashion designers in the world. I nearly fell over out of excitement when they had told me that they appreciated my work and actually listened to my ideas. When I had finished telling them about some of my upcoming designs, I looked over and caught eyes with my Knight. He looked so handsome standing there watching me; I couldn't help but give him a huge smile and to think about how amazing this evening had been going.

As I excused myself from the throng of chattering designers, I waltzed back over to reunite with my date. My heart fluttered as he intertwined his fingers with mine.

"Did you enjoy yourself my princess?" he whispered with a slight grin. "I couldn't help but notice that you seemed quite in your element." He then leaned in to whisper into my ear with his warm breath sending chills down my spine. "I was beginning to worry that you were being swept away." He then wrapped his free arm around my waist pulling me tight against his body. "I prefer keeping you right here," he gently breathed with his soft lips brushing against my ear leaving a tingling sensation that spread throughout my body.

My mind was spinning. Adrien was openly flirting with me and was being quite mischievous. The only other person that had ever acted this way around me, or Ladybug, was Chat Noir. Could it be possible that my sweet, caring, tender hearted Adrien could also be my mischievous, flirtatious, pun loving cat? I tried to push those thoughts out of my mind as Adrien released his hold around my waist. He stepped back, keeping his fingers interlocked with mine, to flash me a cheesy Chat like grin before regaining his composure and softening his smile.

"I'm sorry," he nearly whispered, "that was pretty lame wasn't it?"

All I could do was blush in return.

"I'm not used to this whole date thing," he sheepishly admitted, "I think I'm doing it wrong. I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

Adrien was definitely not Chat Noir. Chat would have never apologized for his behavior. What had I been thinking? My missing Chat must have been playing with my emotions making me think Adrien was him.

"Uncomfortable?" I replied with a smirk. "I definitely did not expect that kind of behavior from you, Mr. Agreste, I'm not going to lie. However, that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it. I-I enjoy being close to you and it makes me happy to think that you missed me."

"So, give me all the deets girl!" Alya demanded the next day on the phone. Aside from that one moment where Adrien had become extremely flirtatious, the rest of the evening had been rather uneventful.

"Well, I met some famous designers and they seemed very interested in my designs."

"That is not what I mean and you know it!" Alya screeched.

"Well, uh... Adrien held my hand most of the night, and he told me that he missed me when I was off with his father"

"That's amazing!" Alya added, "But Marinette, why don't you sound more excited?"

Truth be told, I was just not into this conversation. I had been thinking about Chat Noir all morning. Even though I had had an enjoyable evening with Adrien, my thoughts would not stop returning to my old partner. What was wrong with me? I tried to think about how Adrien had pulled me into that sudden and intimate embrace, but it only reminded me more and more of Chat. I should have been more flustered in that moment, but I wasn't. If Adrien had done something like that to me in high school, I literally would have died. Of course I had blushed and felt electricity flow through my body, but my words to him had been so bold. Why I had I responded so Ladybug like to his advances? I didn't turn him away, but I didn't treat home like I normally would either. Was it because of the puns that he had made earlier? Was I treating him like I would Chat Noir because he had briefly reminded me of him? I needed to get over this Chat obsession and fast; it was ruining my time with Adrien.

"I'm just... distracted Alya," I truthfully told her. "There's something that I need to do."

"Marinette, are you sure about this," Tikki asked as I folded up the letter that I had just finished writing.

"Yes," I sighed, "I have to try. I have to try to contact Chat. I can't get him out of my head, and it's not fair. It's not fair to Adrien if I am constantly thinking of Chat when I am with him. I need to know that Chat is okay."

Tikki just shrugged saying, "Whatever you need, Marinette. I'm ready whenever you are."

My heart pounded and my entire body was filled with butterflies. It had been so long since I had done this, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I closed my eyes prepared myself for the transformation.

"Tikki, spots on!"

A pink glow surrounded me as a familiar surge of energy flowed through my veins. A comforting heat coursed through my body making it stronger. A welcome breeze wrapped around me replacing my clothing with the long missed red and black spotted suit. Finally, my cheeks were kissed by the ever loved masked that had never failed to conceal my identity.

I found myself breathless at the completion of the transformation. My body was tingling with the presence of the long forsaken power. As I looked at my reflection in the mirror, a small gasp found its way through my lips. Before me stood Ladybug herself. However, this was not the Ladybug that I had remembered. This Ladybug had a more mature looking face with long loose hair hanging quite a bit past her shoulders. She looked confused and not at all heroic. In fact, she looked more like a star struck cosplaying fan than the heroine herself. It was obvious that it had been too long since this girl in the mask had seen a battle and it couldn't be certain that she would succeed if one were to present itself now.

"What a joke," I mumbled as I took a red ribbon and pulled my hair back into a ponytail. "No one would even believe I was the real Ladybug if they saw me."

It was a quarter past midnight, so I was certain that no one would see me. I pulled out my yoyo and braced myself before jumping off the balcony. The wind rushed past me as it toyed with my long flowing hair. The shimmering lights below danced at the return of their long absent Lady. The ever dazzling Eiffel Tower stood at attention upon the sight of its heroine as I flew towards the infamous location where Chat Noir and I had always started our nightly patrols.

This is where I would leave the letter. If Chat really had returned like Tikki had suggested, then maybe he would return here for old times sake. I had placed the letter in a small metal box. It was heavy enough that the wind shouldn't knock it down and durable enough to face the weather. I placed it on the beam where we had always sat which was several feet above the civilian viewing deck. I decided that I would return in one week to see if the letter had been retrieved.

Before leaving, I sat on the well known beam and gazed upon the brilliance of the moon. I thought back to the last time that I had sat here; when I had had to say goodbye to Chat Noir. He had promised that one day we would meet again. My cheek felt warm as I remembered the kiss that he given me just before he jumped away, out of my life.

Without Chat, being here felt so empty. If I were to stay any longer, I knew that the sorrow of his absence would overwhelm me. Reluctantly, I pulled out my yoyo and traversed the well known path leading me back to the balcony and to my ordinary life as Marinette.

As I laid in my bed, I tried to focus on the day that was to come. Tomorrow, I would be eating lunch again with my all time crush, Adrien. He had admitted that he enjoyed being close to me. He wanted to get to know me. He had openly flirted with me and pulled my embarrassingly close to his warm and intoxicatingly beautiful body. Adrien was perfect; my life was perfect...but something was missing. Why couldn't I get rid of the feeling that something was missing? Was it my life as Ladybug? Was it my partner Chat Noir? Why couldn't I just be happy with Adrien? I had always wanted to be close to Adrien, and now even with that happening, it was not enough. What was wrong with me?


	8. Chapter 8: An Unexpected Surprise

"Plagg, I am such an idiot," I groaned as I stared blankly at the vast empty ceiling of my room. "Why did I act that way around Marinette? Why couldn't I control myself just a little bit?"

Plagg rolled over on my pillow and his stomach rumbled. "It's too early for this kind of talk, Adrien," he complained. "In fact, it's never a good time for this kind of talk." The little Kwami flew over and thudded onto my chest. Even without eating today, he still reeked of his favorite indulgence. "Look, kid. You're a complete fool whenever your around a girl you like. That's never going to change. Either she will like you for it or she won't. Don't change yourself just to impress a girl. Just be yourself, and if being yourself means you act like the idiot you were as Chat Noir then so be it."

"Thanks Plagg, I think."

He was right. I shouldn't be ashamed of myself for being true to who I am. Marinette had impressed me so much that evening, that I just could not hide that from her. She seemed to think that was okay. At least that's what she said. She definitely took my advance better than Ladybug ever would have.

A loud ringing from my cell phone caused me to nearly jump out of my bed. I answered it quickly to stop the incessant noise.

"Bro," Nino greeted me, "I need your help."

"Okay, buddy, what do you need?" I was happy for the interruption and something to take my mind off of Marinette.

"I need to you to talk to Marinette for me." So much for not thinking about Marinette.

"Uh... okay. Why?"

"She is Alya's best friend," Nino stated eagerly. "I need to know how to make a perfect proposal. Everything I think of is too lame. Marinette will know what I should do."

Nino was right. Marinette would know what to do. But how was I supposed to talk to her about something like this? Asking a girl that I am interested in about marriage proposals did not sound like my idea of fun.

"Why do you need me to talk to her? Can't you just do it yourself?" I asked hopeful that he would change his mind.

"You eat lunch with her like every day. You have a reason to be talking to her. Besides, I feel like I would get too nervous. I'm sweating just thinking about it right now."

Nino was my best friend. How could I not do this for him? Even if it might be incredibly awkward for me, I would just have to suck it up for Nino.

"Sure thing," I replied not as confidently as I would have liked. "You can count on me."

"Hmm," Marinette sighed, "This doesn't seem right."

During lunch, I had asked her where she thought Nino should propose. We agreed to meet after work and check some places out. We were currently standing on the Lovelock bridge, one of the most romantic places in Paris. The evening sun glistened off each of the locks reflecting their brilliance within the depths of Marinette's eyes. I couldn't help but to think about Marinette's eyes as she placed a lock on this very bridge with her own lover one day, which I secretly hoped would be me. (A/N I know that in real life the locks are being removed from the bridge. However, this is a predominate place in the cartoon, so I will go on as if nothing has changed)

"This place is just too cliche for Alya," she continued. "We need to find somewhere that is special to her."

"Of course," I grinned, "maybe we will have some better lock at the next place."

Marinette giggled, "Again with the puns? Are these going to be a common reoccurrence with you?"

"Only of the key fits my little lady," I smirked.

"I'll take that as a yes," Marinette huffed. "This is going to take some getting used to. You're not quite the Adrien I remember."

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" I asked, my feelings a little hurt.

"Well," Marinette said as closed the gap between us and peered up at me. "Seeing as how I would have never dared do anything like this..." she grabbed both of my hands and intertwined her fingers within mine sending a wave of electricity through my body, "I think that it's a good thing. As you become more comfortable with me, I can become more comfortable with you."

My heart felt as if it were about to explode out of my chest. Everything within my being yearned to draw closer to this beautiful girl in front of me. I gently slipped my hands out of her grasp and wrapped one of my arms around her waist pulling her flush against my body. I used my other hand to gently brush back her loose hair behind her ear.

"I could get used to that," I hummed.

Marinette's face turned beat red, but she didn't say anything. She didn't even flinch or act embarrassed like I thought she would. Instead, she boldly stared deeply within my eyes not even daring to blink. She didn't look surprised or even annoyed. It was a look that I had never seen before and I couldn't quite place it. I'd like to think that it was a reflection of my own gaze that I was seeing because I knew that my own stemmed from a place of curiosity and pure wonder at the person that I was beholding.

After an eternity, Marinette reached her hand up to scratch my hair. "Okay, silly. We should go to our next stop." I begrudgingly released my hold on her waist, but laced my fingers in her hand once again.

"Where to next?"

My stomach lurched and my head began to spin as we approached our next destination. The last time I had been here, I had had to tell the love of my life that we would never see each other again. Obviously that night had recurred many times in my nightmares and I had had no desire to ever revisit this place.

Now, Marinette gleefully lead me towards the Eiffel Tower as we continued to walk hand in hand. Honestly, being with Marinette was making this experience much better than it could have been. I was no longer in love with Ladybug, and I was in the presence of the girl that I was continually falling for. However, the memories of this place were still so bitter sweet that it was almost overwhelming.

We decided to take the elevator up to the viewing deck to see if this would be a good location for the proposal. "I don't think this is the right place," I said with a hint of sadness. "It doesn't feel like Nino." If anyone were to propose here, it should have been Chat Noir proposing to Ladybug.

"You're right," Marinette agreed, "there's nothing personal about this location at all. At least for Alya." She walked over to the railing to overlook the city. Instead of joining her, I found myself looking up to the beam that Ladybug and I had so often sat on. All of the sudden, a cloud moved from the sun allowing a flood of light to illuminate the entire area. I was surprised to see something reflecting the light from atop the beam that I had been staring at. I knew that the beam itself would not shine in the sun like that. Had something been placed there? What were the odds that something had been left on the very beam that had been mine and Ladybug's meeting spot? Did Ladybug leave something for me there? I had to find out. I decided that I would return after dark to see what it could be.

"What are you looking at," Marinette asked as she followed my gaze.

"I was just admiring the top of the tower," I lied. "Are you ready to check out the next location?"

"What are we doing at the zoo?" I asked Marinette as we walked up to the front entrance. A swift scent of corn dogs and animal feed made its way up my unsuspecting nostrils.

Marinette just giggled, "You seriously don't remember?" Remember? What could I possibly remember about the zoo? Why on earth would this be a romantic place to propose? "Just follow me." Again, Marinette took my hand and dashed throughout the park. If we hadn't been going so fast, I may have actually enjoyed being there with Marinette. At her speed, I couldn't even tell what animals we were passing. Since when had Marinette been such an aggressive leader?

We finally halted in front of a large cage and Marinette had a ginormous grin upon her face. Upon looking at the cage, I had an instant vision of Nino and Alya locked up in there. Suddenly everything clicked. This was the first place where Nino had taken a liking to Alya.

"Oh," I said, "I remember this place. Chat Noir and Ladybug locked Nino and Alya in here after a much failed attempt, on my part, at trying to help Nino win you over."

Marinette swung her body to face my direction. "You were helping him?! The only person that I wanted to actually like me was helping someone else try to date me? Well that just makes me feel great." She crossed her arms and stuck her bottom lip out just a hair.

"Wait," I responded, truly taken aback by what she had just said, "you liked me back then?"

The usual blush spread across Marinette's delicate cheeks as she glued her eyes to the ground. "Of course I did you big idiot," she whispered, "I was just too afraid to say anything."

I felt as if a truck had rammed into my chest. Marinette had had a crush on me even back then? How could I not have noticed? How could I have been so blind? She must have thought that I was terrible. I never even gave her chance. I was too busy being focused of Ladybug to notice someone perfectly amazing right next to me that obviously had noticed me. She was right. I was an idiot.

"I'm so sorry, Mari," I said as I placed my hand beneath her chin lifting it so that I could look into her eyes. "I wish I had known." I then pulled her in for a tight embrace holding her head against my chest with one hand and the other around her waist. "When did...when did you start having feelings for me?"

"It was...when you gave me your umbrella," she softly replied nearly breaking my heart. That had been when we had first met. Marinette had liked me since we first met and I had never known. How could I have been so heartless?

"Oh Mari," I responded as I choked back the tears, "could you ever forgive me?" I knew exactly what it felt like to be in love with someone who did not return your feelings. I had been through that with Ladybug. If Marinette even felt half of the heartbreak and disappointment that I had felt, then I needed to make it up to her. The fact that I could have caused her that kind of pain was nearly tearing me up inside.

Marinette backed out of my embrace only enough to lock eyes with mine. "Forgive you for what? For not knowing that I had a crush on you?" She giggled and let a remarkably beautiful smile spread across her face. "How could you have known? I couldn't even get out a single coherent sentence around you. Besides it's my fault for not just telling you in the first place." She cupped her gentle, soft hand upon my cheek. "Forget about it. You are here with me right now, and that's all that matters."

I leaned my head forward so that our foreheads were touching. "Thank you. Thank you for always being there for me. Even if I didn't know it." I had always wanted someone to care about me. At that point in my life, it felt like no one did. Just knowing that someone was actually out there that cared for me during those times, made my heart soar. "You know, this place is perfect. This is where Nino should propose." 

"Okay, kid," Plagg groaned as he munched on some cheese, "tell me again. What does seeing a shiny box have to do with me?"

I rolled my eyes as the glutinous Kwami continues to engorge himself. I had already told him the plan at least three times. If he didn't listen to it then, he wouldn't listen to it now. "Ugg, I'm not saying this again. Don't say I didn't try to warn you. Claws out!"

Wails of panic and anger erupted from the little cat as he was sucked into my ring. A pure sense of exhilaration entered my body as the magic began to transform me. My usual clothes were replaced with tight black leather that was completed with a belt like tail. My face was adorned with the always useful, yet sometimes irritating black mask. A tingling sensation sprung from my head as a pair of cat ears appeared immediately bringing the sound of the cars driving down the street and the birds singing in the trees. I scrunched my nose at the now amplified stench of the Camembert cheese.

As the transformation completed, I took out my baton and leaped out the window. Even though it had been years since I had vaulted through the streets of Paris, it came back to me naturally, just like riding a bike. I couldn't help but to let out a few excited yells as I soared through the air. Man, how I had missed this.

A wave of nausea greeted me as I approached the tower. Marinette was not with me this time to help ease the pain. Images of my last conversation with Ladybug filled my mind making it hard for me to concentrate on my assent up the side of the structure. Just as I was envisioning the kiss that I had placed upon her cheek, I missed my footing and nearly fell to the ground. Thankfully, I caught myself on a beam several feet below where I had been. I decided that it would be best to concentrate on my climb. It had been a while since I had done anything like this.

My eyes caught a glimpse of something shining in the moonlight above me. I hurried my pace to reach the location of the glimmer. Sitting upon the beam, I discovered a tiny metallic box. I knew that it had to have been placed here for a purpose and that it must have been Ladybug who had done it. How long had this box been sitting here?

I picked up the container, but I could not bring myself to open it just yet. What could Ladybug possibly have put in here? Was it a gift, or could it be empty? I shook the box, but there was no sound. It had been so long since I had had any sort of contact with Ladybug and I wasn't sure if I wanted to open that door again. I was happy spending my time with Marinette. Would opening this box change that? Could I allow that to happen?

I gripped the box and extended my baton. I would just have to decide whether or not to open it up when I got home. The journey back seemed to take much longer than the journey there. Butterflies were swarming in my stomach at the thought of what could be in the box. I detransformed as I hurdled through the window sending a much distressed Plagg flying across the room.

"Why I aughtta," he was raging.

"Not now, Plagg, I have more important things to think about."

"Such as what? When you are going to get me some more cheese?"

"Stop worrying about yourself for a moment. Can't you see I'm in distress?"

The little Kwami flew over and landed on the silver box that I was holding in my hands.

"Ooo," he sung, "what's this, Adrien?"

"It's something that Ladybug left for me..."

"Well... are you going to open it?" Plagg asked as he bounced on the box.

"Do you think I should?"

Plagg stopped jumping and replied, "Nah, you should get me some cheese first."

Of course Plagg wasn't going to be any help. I flicked him off of the box and placed my hand on the lid ready to open it. But what about Marinette? Would things change with her if I opened this box? No, I wouldn't let that happen. No matter what I found inside, I would not let that change anything.

The butterflies and nauseous feeling intensified as I slowly unlatched the small clasp and lifted the lid. Inside, I could see a sheet of stationary paper that was folded up into fourths. Ladybug had written me a letter. I pulled the parchment to my chest and slid against my bedroom wall until I was seated on the floor with my knees bent in front of me.

Plagg flew over and landed on my left knee. "Seriously, kid, if you're going to read it, just do it. Especially if I have to wait for my cheese until you finish. Geez I've never seen anyone draw something out so long before."

I sighed, "Sorry, Plagg. It's just that... I'm terrified that reading this letter could change things. I just don't know if I'm willing to let that happen."

Plagg moaned, "Just read it! I don't want to hear you complaining about wondering what it said later. It's up to you how you respond."

I nodded my head in agreement as I gently unfolded the document in my hands. I looked down to see the beautifully written message on the page below.

Dear Chat,

I know that it has been a long time since we have seen each other. For some reason, you have been on my mind a lot lately. I just want to know if you are okay. It's been hard for me having a friend that I no longer know anything about. Not knowing where you are or how you are doing has been keeping me unsettled.

As for myself, I am doing well. I recently started my dream job and I have been reconnecting with an old friend. I guess that's why I have been thinking about you. Reconnecting with one friend made me want to reconnect with another.

I miss you,

LB

"Look who misses you, Mr. Popular," Plagg smirked. "What are you going to do?"

The butterflies that I had been feeling felt more like bunnies hoping around now. If I had gotten a letter like this three years before, my heart would have been racing. It wasn't like that now. Instead, there was a war going on inside of me. Part of me knew I should reply. My Lady needed the comfort of knowing that I was doing okay. On the other hand, if I opened this line of communication, would my feeling for her begin to return? I couldn't do that to Marinette. However, I couldn't leave Ladybug wondering about me for the rest of her life. I had often wondered myself how she was doing. Knowing that she was happy brought me joy. I had to reciprocate that feeling for her.

"I'm going to reply." I whispered as the weigh of what I had just said began to sink in.

*******************************************  
This is my longest chapter yet. I'm really excited about the direction this book is taking. It is going to be fun to see the relationships develop and the secrets unfold.


	9. Chapter 9: Correspondence

"Adrien was so cute yesterday!" I squealed to Alya over the phone. I couldn't keep in my excitement over how intimate we had gotten on our search for Nino's perfect proposal venue. Usually we went to lunch together and talked about various trivial things, but this... this was different. This felt so passionate.

"Okay...so spill it! What did he do?"

"It's hard to explain," I began. "We just got really close. He was treating me as if I was his girlfriend or something. It felt…..really nice." My body was on fire as I remembered every touch and every embrace from the day before. He had been so gentle, and so sincere. He had sounded truly heartbroken when he discovered that I had had a crush on him in high school. I was sitting in my computer chair and currently twirling a piece of my loose hair. I may or may not have been looking at one Adrien's new photo shoots on my computer screen.

"Girl, you have got it bad, and from the sounds of it I think Adrien does, too." Alya paused thinking to herself. "But… it's hard for me to tell just hearing things second hand. I think that it's time that the four amigos get back together. I'm dying to see the chemistry between you two."

The thought of Alya seeing me with Adrien sent shivers down my spine. Everything between Adrien and me was _so_ personal. Letting Alya see that was a bit terrifying. Would Adrien act differently around me in front of our friends, or would he continue to show his flirtatious side? Did I even want Alya to see Adrien flirt with me? Something just felt wrong with that. Almost like exposing a secret that wasn't meant to be shared.

Alya could sense the hesitation in my silence. "Don't worry about it, Mare, I'll set everything up. It will be just like old times."

"Aren't you excited to be with all of your friends again?" Tikki asked after I had gotten off the phone. I slumped down in my chaise allowing my arms to spread like wings by my side as I glared at the ceiling without even really seeing it. All I could see was Adrien's gentle smile which was sometimes replaced by a more mischievous grin.

"I don't know, Tikki," I sighed. "It's different this time. It _won't_ be the same. Alya and Nino are practically engaged, and Adrien and I are… well….. I don't even know what we are! How are we supposed to act in front of them? Do we act like friends like we always did, or do we act like a couple?" I pulled my hands to my face burrowing into them. "I don't know what to do, Tikki! I'm so confused!"

Tikki flew over grabbing one of my hands and pulling it from me face. "It'll all work out, Marinette. Don't worry. You don't _have_ to have your relationship with Adrien figured out yet. Just have fun. Don't think about it and let things happen naturally."

Of course, Tikki was right. I was just overthinking things, as usual. "Thanks, Tikki. You always know just what to say."

The next day, Alya called to give me a lowdown of the plan. We would all meet at the carnival that was in town the following day. That meant that I had one more day to keep whatever was going on with Adrien and me just between us. I quickly got dressed, brushed my hair, keeping it loose, and headed to work.

As I drove into the parking lot, I caught a glimpse of a golden haired boy walking towards the door. My heart skipped a beat at the unexpected sight of my, well, whatever he was. Tikki had been singing along with a song on my radio, but flew into my bag as I parked the car. A tapping on my window caused me to jump and throw my bag across the seat. I turned to see a soft pair of green eyes peering in at me through the glass causing my pulse to quicken.

"Adrien!" I said accusingly after I had gathered my things and opened the door. "You scared me!"

"Let me help you," he said with a peaceful grin as he reached out his hand to help me get out of the car. "I couldn't miss a chance to walk my little lady into work today, could I?" With these words, his gentle smile morphed into a playful almost sinister looking smirk.

My mind immediately drifted to the letter that I had written to Chat. Had he seen it yet. Had he replied? Two full nights had passed since I had left it; maybe it was possible that he had responded already….

"Marinette, are you okay? I know I'm fascinating to look at and all, at least that's what I'm told, but I seriously feel like you're about to stare a hole right through me."

Adrien's words snapped me back to attention. I hadn't even realized that I had been staring at him. Heat rushed to my cheeks in embarrassment. "Oh, uh…. I wasn't looking at you. I mean… it's not like I wouldn't want to…. uh…. I mean… I was just thinking about…...someone.. I mean…. something else." Why was I stammering again?

"Ouch, I'm hurt," Adrien teased while placing his hands over his heart. "And who might my little princess be dreaming about while her knight is standing right before her?"

Even though Adrien was teasing me, there was something about the look in his eyes that told me that he truly was a little wounded by what I had said. I couldn't tell him that I had been thinking about Chat, but maybe I could tell him part of the truth. I cupped my hands around his which were still atop of his chest and smiled.

"I'm sorry, you just made me think of someone that I haven't seen in a long time. I doubt I'll ever see that person again. Now," I added as I wrapped my fingers around his right hand and pulled him away from the car, "let's go inside! We wouldn't want to be late."

"So," Adrien began as we had just sat down to eat. We had both packed our lunches today and decided to go to a park, just down the street, for lunch. It was a beautiful midsummer day with a light breeze to break up the heat. Birds were joyously singing in the trees and squirrels chased each other at magnificent speeds. The flowers were all still in bloom bringing with them the sweet scent of pollen. We picked a level spot in the grass underneath a protective oak. We had just placed down our blanket and pulled out our food when Adrien began to speak. "Are you excited about going to the carnival with Nino and Alya?"

Honestly, I wasn't. Being on display in front of two of my best friends did not meet my criteria of fun. "Um," I hesitantly spoke, "I'm really glad that I will get to be with _you_."

"But you're not happy to be going with Nino and Alya?" he asked. Geez, Adrien was way to perceptive.

"Uh," I stammered again, "it's not that I don't want to spend time with them. It's just…. It's just that….."

"You don't know what they will think about _us_ , right?" Adrien placed his hand on top of mine which was just resting on the ground in support of me as I was leaning back. We were sitting next to each other shoulder to shoulder and we were both staring into the distance watching a a few squirrels play in the trees.

"I guess so," I meekly responded. " _I_ don't even know what we are, so how am I supposed to know how to act around Alya?"

"Act like my girlfriend," Adrien shrugged as he continued to watch the squirrels with such a nonchalance that I nearly did not catch what he had said.

I jerked my head in his direction as I shrieked, "WHAT?!"

He turned to look at me with his mesmerizing eyes. The whole world seemed to stop as I became entranced in his gaze. The sounds of the birds and the breeze faded into the background, and the only thing I could see was Adrien's beautifully sincere face. "Don't be surprised, Mari," he hummed, "that's what you _are_? Isn't it?"

I couldn't respond. I couldn't even breathe. Could this really be happening? Did Adrien Agreste view me as his _girlfriend_?

"Look," he continued, "we eat lunch together everyday. We hold hands. We even sometimes find ourselves lost in an intimate embrace." He took a deep breath and then placed his hand under my chin. "It's moments like that, Mari, that take my breath away. They make me want to get to know you more, so that I can get closer to you. Marinette, every moment spent with you is the _best_ moment of my day….. So, yea. I think of you as my girlfriend. What do you say?"

My body froze as his words sunk in. Adrien, gorgeous Adrien, wanted me, Marinette Dupain-Cheng to be his girlfriend. My head began to spin as a surge of electricity flowed through my veins. I had dreamed of this moment for most of my life, and now I couldn't even come up with anything to say. No words could describe the pure euphoric feeling that was overtaking me.

"I'll take your silence as a yes," Adrien grinned as he removed his hand from my chin and lifted my hand placing a kiss upon it. "We will show Alya and Nino just what a cute couple we make."

"Tikki, Spots On!" I yelled as I allowed my transformation to take over me. After Adrien had kissed my hand, we finished our lunch and walked back to work hand in hand. I could barely form a sentence around Adrien again because I was so nervous at the fact that we were now officially girlfriend and boyfriend. Adrien just thought that my failed attempts at speech were cute, and they even caused him to blush just a little.

Now, I needed to release the pent up energy and nervousness that I was holding inside. My body felt as if it would explode from pure joy, and just had to let that happiness escape. Being Ladybug was the perfect solution. I ran across the rooftops at record speed enjoying the burn that was building up inside my legs. I would have perused the roofs of Paris for much longer had I not felt a single raindrop fall upon my cheek. I looked up to see an ominous looking sky and heard a faint crack of thunder booming in the distance. How had I not noticed the arrival of this storm earlier?

I quickly headed towards the Eiffel Tower to retrieve the box that I had left for Chat Noir. I knew that I didn't have long until the soft drizzle became a downpour, so I hastily opened the lid. My chest tightened and a warm tingling sensation spread throughout my body as I laid my eyes on a green parchment that had taken the place of my white one. Chat Noir had _actually_ responded. I couldn't believe it. He was back, and he had been right here within the past two days.

I had to quickly close the lid before the intrusive rain could get its grip upon my letter. With a swing of my yoyo, I hastily returned to my balcony where I was greeted with a cold, crisp deluge of water. Thankfully, after reverting back into my civilian self, the only thing that remained wet was my hair which was dripping on the floor.

"Shouldn't you dry your hair off, Marinette?" Tikki asked when she got a look at the state I was in. Even though I slightly uncomfortable with my cold, sopping wet hair soaking into my dry clothing, I didn't care.

"No time Tikki, I have to read this letter," I blurted as I opened the lid and quickly unfolded the paper. My hands were shaking and my heart was performing backflips as I gazed upon the carefully written letter. The cursive writing was so pristine, that it hardly seemed possible that a human could have written it.

 _Ladybug,_

 _It was so nice to hear from you M'Lady. I'm glad that you are happy working your dream job. I haven't quite found my perfect job yet, but I can't say that I'm not happy working where I am. For me, it's all about the people that I work with. Life is going purrfectly well for me right now. This is probably the happiest I have ever been._

 _Now, don't get me wrong. I_ do _miss spending time with you. If it wasn't for spotting your box on the Eiffel Tower, then I probably would have never transformed back into Chat Noir. Thanks for that. I had nearly forgotten how much I enjoyed being a cat._

 _Till Next Time,_

 _Chat_

It was weird thinking of Chat Noir not being, well, Chat Noir. He actually _missed_ being a cat, and that was all I had ever seen him as. That thought made me realize how little I truly knew my former partner. What was his life like outside of the mask? Honestly, I had never really cared when I was younger, but now I wished that I could have known the boy underneath. Then, maybe I wouldn't have lost him for so long. I picked up my pen and grabbed a pink sheet of paper to write my reply.

 _Chat,_

 _It's weird thinking of you as anyone other than Chat Noir. I guess I never really knew you at all did I? I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for never really trying to get know you. That was a mistake._

 _I'm glad to know that I can talk to you now. That makes me really happy._

 _Thanks for responding,_

 _LB_

"There," I said with satisfaction at my completed letter. "Short and sweet. I guess I'll have to wait until tomorrow to place it back. I really don't want to get back out in that rain."

I folded the letter and placed it back in the tiny box. Tikki flew over and landed on the lid. "I'm glad to see you're so happy, Marinette. I know you regret not getting to know Chat, but now is your chance. I told you that you would get to talk to him again someday. This wasn't exactly what I imagined, but it will do, for now."

"Thanks, Tikki."

I left the box on my desk and climbed up the ladder to my bed. After a few minutes of laying in silence, I finally tried to talk to Tikki. "I'm really glad to have this opportunity, Tikki. I already feel so much better just knowing that he is out there and that he is doing okay." I turned over to find Tikki already sleeping on the pillow next to me. Her even breaths were quite comforting, making it that much harder to keep my _own_ eyes open.

I rolled back over to my back and allowed the events of the day to replay in mind. Adrien had become my _boyfriend._ It didn't seem real. Chat Noir had responded to my letter. That also didn't seem real. I hoped that I wouldn't wake up to find that this has all been a dream. It would be a cruel reality without Adrien and Chat in my life. I had already spent four years like that, and I didn't know if I could bear going through that again. Visions of Adrien and Chat danced through my mind eventually molding themselves into dreams that carried throughout the entire night. The next morning, I could not remember those dreams, but I knew that they had been happy ones, and that was all that mattered.


	10. Chapter 10: Taking a Step Back

My heart fluttered and my palms were sweating as I knocked on the door to the Dupain-Cheng bakery. I had spent most of the night thinking about what I had said to Marinette the day before. Why had I been so arrogant in just assuming that she was my girlfriend? She deserved something better than that, but I just couldn't keep my mouth shut.

Hundreds of scenarios had played through my head of how I should have asked her out. I should have taken her to a nice dinner and slowly expressed my feelings before asking her to be my girlfriend. Instead of thinking rationally and acting in my normal fashion, my Chatlike impulsiveness and boldness took over. In high school, I was highly skilled in keeping my two personalities sorted out, but years away from my "model life" had made me lax. There has been no reason to hide my more rambunctious side in China, and the longer I spent with Marinette, the more it wanted to come out. Should I try to control myself, or just let myself free? Maybe I could do with just a little bit of both.

The door quickly opened causing my pulse to quicken. The smell of chocolate chip cookies and cinnamon rolls wafted through the air. My eyes were immediately greeted by a sparkling pair of bluebell eyes and an angelic smile. "Adrien," Marinette sung, "you're early! Let me go upstairs and get ready." It was only then that I noticed that she was still wearing her red apron and was covered in flour. Her hair was pulled back into a messy bun and she had some icing smeared across her cheek. Butterflies filled my stomach as I realized just how cute she looked.

"You know," I began as I gently wiped the frosting off her her face with my thumb, "the ingredients are not supposed to end up on the person baking them. Even though I wouldn't mind getting a taste of your sweetness." I proceeded to lick the frosting off my thumb.

"Adrien!" Marinette squealed as her face turned fire engine red and she looked away. I then realized what I had said and backed away slightly horrified. Why couldn't I contain myself around her?

"M-Marinette….. I'm so sorry," I whimpered, "I did it again. I-I shouldn't have said that. Please forgive me." My own face had become flushed out of embarrassment and shame. I wasn't acting like a gentleman at all. Marinette deserved the side of me that had more class. Why was it so hard to let that part of myself shine through at times like this?

My self loathing was interrupted by a pure and joyous giggle. "You're so cute, Adrien. You don't need to apologize. I like that you're opening up to me. Even if your humor can be a bit cheesy at times." She grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bakery. "Come upstairs and wait in my room while I get ready."

I sighed as Marinette dragged me up the stairs and to her room. What I had said was _not_ supposed to be funny. I had never seen a room so pink in my life. The bubblegum colored walls were only broken up by slightly darker shades of paint that indicated the presence of something that used to hang all over her walls.

"Wait here," Marinette chirped, as she gathered some clothing and glided towards the bathroom.

Even though Marinette's room was fairly large, it was quite cozy, unlike mine. The sweet smell of the bakery seeped its way into the room making me never want to leave. A ladder leading to a platform with her bed on it beckoned to be climbed. I had the urge to snuggle down it her blankets, but realized she may think it strange if she found me in her bed. Instead, I decided to plop myself down upon the chaise that was located on the main floor of her room. As I looked up to the ceiling and sunk down into the welcoming comfort of the cushions, I noticed a trapdoor. It must lead to the balcony that can be seen from outside of the bakery. That would have been another perfect place to have asked Marinette out.

Just then, the bathroom door creaked open and Marinette waltzed towards me gracefully sitting herself next to me upon the Chaise. She had her hair pulled back into a tight ponytail showcasing her straight across bangs. She was wearing a loose fitting, thin, T-shirt that somehow still managed to highlight her delicate curves in all the right places. A modest pair of jean shorts and a pair of brown flip flops completed the summer casual look.

I hadn't seen Marinette dressed this causally since we had been in high school. In returning my gaze upon her face, I noticed that she even had neglected to put on the usual make up that she wore to work putting her natural beauty to display. Much to my own chagrin, I realized that my mouth was hanging wide open. I hastily snapped it shut and slowly managed to say, "Mari, you look… so beautiful." A natural rosy blush filled her cheeks as I caressed my hand on the side of her face. "I'm so sorry," I softly apologized, "for how I treated you yesterday. I shouldn't have just assumed that you were my girlfriend." I then dropped my hand and placed my forehead against hers. "You deserved better than that. I should have swept you off your feet and then asked you out properly." I pulled away and looked desperately into her eyes. "Can we just…. start over?"

Marinette then wrapped her arms around my waist and burrowed her head in my chest. "No, we can't," she pleaded. "I don't want to start over. I want you to be my boyfriend…. I always have. It's just that….." she pulled herself away and looked to the ground. "I don't really feel like we have earned the title of boyfriend and girlfriend yet. There's still a lot that we have to learn about each other, and I just feel like we don't know each other well enough to call each other that."

I knew that Marinette was right. Even though we had talked a lot about our lives with one another, we had never really shared our stories emotionally. Most of the time that we had spent together had been superficial. Sure, we had come closer together as friends, but had we really been drawn together enough emotionally to consider ourselves in a relationship? No, we hadn't. What was it that made me want to have Marinette as my girlfriend in the first place? Sure, I enjoyed my time with her. I thought that she was talented, brave, and beautiful, but all of those things were on the surface. Did I know Marinette's heart? Did my soul burn passionately and feverishly for her? No, it didn't. That didn't mean that I didn't want those things with Marinette; we just hadn't gotten close enough for any of that to happen.

"You're right," I admitted while softly grabbing on to the side of her arm, "we don't have that kind of relationship." I then took my other hand and lifted her chin so that we could look each other in the eyes. "But that doesn't mean that I don't want a relationship between us to form. So…. let's just say that for now we are only dating…..with no title. Let's give that some time and see where it takes us. If nothing changes, we will remain friends, but if… if there is something more that's there, then I promise that I _will_ sweep you off your feet, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Deal?"

A soft grin formed upon Marinette's face. "Deal," she nodded, "besides… I can't call someone my boyfriend who hasn't even….. kissed me yet. That's a definite prerequisite." Her grin morphed into a playful smile as she winked at me.

"A kiss?" I smirked as I contemplated her request. "It looks like I've got my work cut out for me, then. Challenge accepted." I placed both of my hands on my hips and tried to look very regal. "The prince needs to plant true loves kiss in order to awaken the princess? I guess we'll just have to wait and see if I am the prince or just a regular frog. I hope I don't end up _croaking_ out "

Marinette gave me a blank stare as she processed what I had just said. It didn't appear that she appreciated my humor. Of course not. Now was not an appropriate time to be joking. Why couldn't I just keep things serious anymore?

"S-sorry. I got carried away again," I apologized while I rubbed my arm and took my own turn at gazing to the floor. Marinette then placed both of her hands on my shoulders firmly squeezing them.

"Don't you ever feel like you should have to apologize for being yourself. I think your flirtatious side and even your silly puns are endearing. I'm sorry for not laughing, I was still trying to think of a good response. Even if you did end up just being a frog…. at least you would be a cute one," she giggled.

Marinette then became quite serious again, "I would hate it if you tried to hide that part of yourself from me. Don't _ever_ try to hide a part of yourself from me. I want to see _all_ of you. I want to _be_ with all of you." My heart thrummed and my breathing became more labored. No one had ever accepted me like this before. Ladybug had always shot my behavior down as being childish and insincere. Did Marinette truly enjoy being around me even when I wasn't being the _perfect_ Adrien?

"If that sometimes means you are quiet, reserved, and gentlemanly then I will love that." Marinette continued. "But if sometimes you are flirtatious, funny, and even downright mischievous, then I will love that, too. We will not get the opportunity to grow closer if you are constantly trying to guard yourself around me." She released her grip from my shoulders and wrapped her arms around my neck still keeping a good distance between us.

"Yes, you are different than the Adrien that I remember. You are so much _better_." My heart felt as if it was going to explode at these words. "I can see now that the boy I had known had been only a fraction of who you are. Please don't keep the rest of yourself hidden. I want to know _that_ Adrien Agreste. The one who has been hiding behind the mask of the perfect model son. I don't think I can truly fall in love with someone that I don't know completely. This is what's holding us back; I just know it."

It was hard for me to comprehend what she had just said. Marinette wanted to get to know every part of me. Without even realizing it, she was asking to get to know Chat Noir. Was I ready to let that part of me out completely? What would Marinette think of me if I acted completely like Chat? Would she figure out that I was the famous superhero? Could we even have a real relationship without her knowing? If she wanted to get to know _all_ of me, she would have to learn my secret. I couldn't tell her right now, but if Marinette really did end up being the one for me, I would let her know who I was. No relationship could begin with a secret as big as that. Until I knew what direction our relationship would take, I would just be myself. Whoever that was….

"Ask and you shall receive," I smirked as I stood up reaching my hand out to help Marinette stand. "Shall we?"

"Adrien," Alya shrieked while nearly tackling me over into a giant bear hug, "it is so nice to see you!" It was a little past noon and Marinette and I had just arrived at the carnival. I had never been to a carnival before, my dad had never allowed time for such trivial affairs into my schedule. After we had paid for our tickets and gone through the gate, I was met with complete sensory overload. The smell of hot dogs and funnel cakes instantly caused my stomach to grumble. Loud screams and the ringing of bells had me looking in all directions. I spotted heavily stocked game booths, overcrowded foodstands, and attractions of all sorts of varieties including roller coasters, a mirror maze, and even a haunted house. Being so absorbed in these new experiences made Alya's sudden appearance a terrifying experience.

"A-Alya," I managed to squeak out, "it's been a long time. How have you been?"

Alya grabbed the sides of my arms while pulling out of her tight embrace. "Oh, I've been doing fine. I'm more interested in how _you_ have been doing, model boy." She had the all too familiar look in her eyes that she got when she wanted to get the scoop on something. "I know you have been spending quite a bit of time with Marinette. How has _that_ been going?"

"Alya!" Marinette hastily interceded. "Not right now…"

"It's okay, Mari," I purred while brushing Alya's hands off of my arms and taking a step towards Marinette. "We can just show her how its been going right?" I grabbed her hand and interlaced her fingers through mine. I leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "Let's see where this will go; I won't hold back." I backed away to see Marinette's face light up as bright as a traffic light. I loved making her blush. I was going to have fun with this.

I turned back to look at Alya and Nino, who had just caught up with us, standing frozen with their mouths agape. "Dude….. Adrien," Nino said with a dumbfounded look still on his face. "Who are you and what have you done with… Adrien?"

I smirked while raising Marinette's hand and placing a kiss upon it making her blush even more. "I guess you will just have to watch and find out. Can we eat? I'm starving?"

For the first time in her life, Alya was speechless. Nino had to drag her towards the concession stand. "I think you broke Alya," Marinette whispered to me when we had gotten in line. Nino was still struggling in getting Alya to move.

"She hasn't even seen anything yet," I said with a mischievous grin.

Marinette tapped my nose with her index finger as she stood with her other hand on her hip. "I'm going to regret asking you to be yourself right before coming here, aren't I?"

"I'm counting on it," I replied with the most devilish smile I could muster. "But," I added, "I'm also counting on you loving every single minute of it…"

Marinette crossed her arms and tilted her head slightly off to the side and to the sky. "Don't get your hopes too high, oh mighty knight. You still have a long way to go to impress _this_ princess."

My heart sunk just little bit at these words. That sounded exactly like something Ladybug would say when she was turning me down. But this wasn't Ladybug, and I wasn't Chat Noir. This was Marinette and Adrien. I _would_ impress her because I would show her everything. Ladybug could never fall in love with me because she could never see the Adrien side of me. Marinette was right, I had to let her see everything before she could even think of falling in love.

"I know," I responded in a much more gentle tone and an honest smile, "but I'm willing to take that journey. You, Marinette, are worth the wait." I then fanned my arm outward in an motion that showed that she should move forward, ahead of me, in line. She blushed, again, and moved ahead.

I smiled, happy with what I had accomplished. I did it. I pulled off some classic sensitive Adrien behavior after showcasing some flirtatious Chat. I could do this. I could bring all parts of myself together and display them for Marinette to see. I just needed to stop thinking about it and do what my heart tells me.

Marinette once again laced her fingers through mine as she rested her head against my shoulder. "You, are one fascinating boy," she whispered, "I'm continually amazed by what you say and do. This is going to be one interesting day."

She was right about that. I was going to make sure of it. I wondered though, if one side of my personality would outweigh the other, or if I would find a balance of the two. Who was I really? Was Adrien or Chat a more accurate representation of myself, or was I really just a perfect blend of both of them? Only time, and me becoming more comfortable with myself and Marinette would tell.


	11. Chapter 11: Who am I?

**Response to Reviews**

 **Joey: Adrien is such a hopeless romantic. I'm glad that you enjoyed his impulsiveness in assuming she was his girlfriend only to later be haunted by the fact that he didn't do it right. We will be seeing more of the letters in the next chapter. I couldn't fit in a reading with timeline of this chapter, but I hope that it is still satisfying. I already know mainly what the letters will say. Now, I just have to figure out where to place them in the story.**

 **Clarisa: Wow! Thank you so much for analyzing my story with such thought. I had written this chapter before I read your review, but one of your requests is coming to fruition. I love your ideas of bringing back old memories and even the lucky charm. I will definitely include some of these things. I'm glad that you like how I am developing the characters. I really wanted to show how they have changed and how they are continually changing. Yet, they are still just plain old Adrien and Marinette. You have picked up on things in my story that I hadn't even realized was there. I hope that you continue to read and provide me with feedback. I am more active on my Wattpad account. You should download that app, and find my stroy there. It's easy to be notified of updates through that app.**

 **OtakuGamer69 : Thank you! Keep reading.**

 **wolfrunnerable12 :** **Haha! Adrien always breaks Marinette. Glad you're enjoying.**

 **Now on with the story!**

 **ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo**

" _I can see now that the boy I had known had been only a fraction of who you are. Please don't keep the rest of yourself hidden. I want to know that Adrien Agreste. The one who has been hiding behind the mask of the perfect model son. I don't think I can truly fall in love with someone that I don't know completely. This is what's holding us back; I just know it."_

Those words echoed through my mind as I washed my hands in the bathroom sink. We had just finished eating our food and Adrien had gone to purchase some ride tickets. I decided to take a restroom break so that I could have a moment to think for myself. I looked in the mirror and caught a glimpse of my fraudulent face. How could I ask Adrien to open himself up completely to me when I wasn't even willing to do that myself. Adrien may have had a hidden personality, but _I_ was hiding behind a secret identity.

" _This is what's holding us back; I just know it."_

I knew that those words were directed more at me than him when I had said them. How could I ever expect Adrien to fall in love with me if he didn't know me wholeheartedly? I dried my hands with a rough paper towel and then turned towards the exit. In front of me, a full sized mirror reflected back my image with absolutely no remorse. My heart sunk as I saw the girl standing before me. She was a lie. She was only a fraction of who I truly was. Tears began to form as I studied this meek looking facade. Why couldn't I act more like Ladybug? Why did I keep my two personas so separated?

After so many years of only being Marinette, I didn't even know how to be Ladybug anymore. Even when I had transformed that past few days, I didn't feel like I actually deserved to be in the suit. What had happened to the bold and brave heroine that I once was? Where had she gone?

Honestly, no matter which version of myself I caught in the mirror, I felt as if I was looking at a lie. I felt like an actress who was expected to fulfill a certain role. Even though I was able to do that, it didn't seem as if I was portraying myself. I always knew that I was someone else underneath it all, and that fact was tearing me up inside. What was wrong with me? How could I expect Adrien to get to know me if I didn't even know myself? Would it be better if I just told him who I was? No, I knew that wouldn't work because I wasn't even sure who Ladybug was any more. If he knew that I was her, then he would expect me to be brave and fearless. However, I just didn't know if I had that in me anymore. I had to keep that part of me a secret. At least until I could figure myself out a little bit more.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and exited the restroom. The crowds seemed to have multiplied in the time that I had been gone making it hard for me to make my way back to our meeting place. Suddenly, a pair of firm arms wrapped around my waist from behind making the hairs on my arms stand. I shrieked and jumped at the same time only to find that I couldn't break free from his grasp. I placed my hands upon his which were oh so smooth and gentle. I knew those comforting hands anywhere.

"It's okay, Mari," Adrien breathed into my ear, "I didn't mean to scare you. I was just trying to be cute." Adrenaline from the scare pumped through my veins as I shifted around to face Adrien, still tightly locked within his arms. My knees became weak with the surge of emotions that were running through my body. Adrien held me tighter as he felt my balance waver. I reached my arms around his neck to help support myself becoming entirely lost in his gentle gaze.

"Uh, Not that you two aren't cute and all," Nino muttered, "but like… can we actually go and have some fun now?" Nino's voice startled me even more. For moment, I felt as if Adrien and I were the only two people in the world. I looked over to see Nino and Alya staring directly at us. Apparently, Alya was still broken, because she only watched in awestruck silence.

"Sure, man," Adrien responded while giving Nino a huge smile. Then he turned back to me and softly whispered, "Will you be okay to walk, Marinette? We can stay here like this for a while longer if you need to."

My heart fluttered at his suggestion. I wouldn't mind staying here like this with him forever if I could. Besides, just how was I supposed to gain back my strength if he kept being so gosh darn cute? I knew, however, that we couldn't stay like this. Not with Alya watching, anyway. If we broke her even more, she might just die. I straightened my legs and shifted my weight back into them as I pulled away from Adrien. "Let's go," I said.

We all decided that the first ride we should hit would be the Ferris wheel. Of course, all of us meant Adrien, Nino, and me. Alya still had not said a word since she had seen my first interaction with Adrien. I was looking forward to riding alone with Adrien on the Ferris wheel; it would give us some time to talk and hopefully, cuddle. Alya was the first person to hand in her ticket and step towards the mat with the footprints on it that tells you where to stand. I waited for Nino to join her, but instead, I was pushed ahead towards the mat. Before I could even object, the seat had stopped behind us and we were told to board.

As the wheel began to take us around, I could only stare off into the distance just as Alya was doing. I shook my legs as the uncomfortable tension between us grew. It wasn't until five other rounds of passengers had boarded until she finally looked at me and spoke. "So…. you and Adrien huh?"

My ears burned at the mention of his name. "Yea, I guess so," I meekly responded.

"He really likes you, Marinette," she somberly stated. "I'm sorry I have been so quiet. I have just been trying to process it all."

I giggled, "It's a lot to take in. He's quite a flirt. I never expected that out of him."

"It's not just that, Marinette," she added with a serious tone to her voice. "Any guy can be a flirt. But with Adrien… it's the _way_ he flirts. The way he _looks_ at you." Alya smiled and grabbed my hand. "I can tell that you two are still unsure of your relationship with one another. But…. there is something there. Something between you two that is just dying to be set free. I can feel it."

Alya's words caused my heart to skip a beat. Did Adrien feel something more for me than I could see? "That's why I have been so in shock," she continued. "I was expecting to find the Marinette and Adrien that I had known. Obviously cute together and meant to be, but this… this is something that I have never seen before. There's just something about you two. Something powerful. It's there…. just waiting below the surface. I had never sensed that about you two, until now."

My mind was spinning as I tried to process what she was saying. There was something powerful between us? What did that even mean? "I don't know what is holding you back, but once you get that figured out…..get ready," Alya warned. "You and Adrien are going to be something epic. Just you wait and see."

Could Adrien and I ever get to know each other well enough and become close enough to create a love that was truly as remarkable as Alya had foreseen? I certainly hoped so, yet at the same time, that idea absolutely terrified me. Being that intimate with Adrien would mean that I would have to share everything. He would have to know my strengths and most definitely my weaknesses.

"Look over there!" Alya squealed. "We can see the Eiffel Tower from here." I hadn't even noticed that we had made it around and stopped at the very top of the Ferris wheel. The city of Paris was bustling beneath us. Couples strolled leisurely and parents kept up frantically with their children. Everyone below was in a different phase of life, nearly oblivious to the others that were around them. On the ground, the same could be said about me, but up here, I could see everything.

I remembered watching the citizens like this as Ladybug. I always enjoyed being able to see without being seen. I felt as if I knew who these people were just by seeing a small, yet pure, segment of their life. However, it always saddened me to know that that was not what they saw when they saw me. All they saw was Ladybug, the superhero.

I looked over to the Eiffel Tower. Even Chat, Ladybug's closest friend never could see the real me. All he saw was my strength. I never allowed him to see the weaker, more sensitive side of me. Who did Chat really think he was even responding to when writing his letter? Ladybug is just a mask….just a lie.

The Ferris wheel began to move again jolting me from my thoughts. Alya squeezed my hand letting me know that she was here for me. I welcomed the breeze that danced around us as the ride made its final uninterrupted journey propelling us around and around. When it finally came to a stop, we exited the ride and waited for Nino and Adrien to get off.

While looking around for our next destination, I felt Adrien's arms wrap back around me sending an immediate wave of heat throughout my body. This time, instead of jumping, I leaned back into his embrace reaching my hand back to cup it around his face. He leaned forward pressing his head against my hair. His sweet scent which I could only describe as being his was nearly enough to intoxicate me. "You know….. I really hated missing that carriage ride with my princess, but I don't regret pushing you to ride with Alya." So he was the one who had shoved me. "I hope that the _wheel_ of fortune was on your side."

I could feel his accelerated heartbeat on my back as I was pressed against his chest. Alya's words played in my head as an intense longing to become closer with Adrien filled my entire being. But now was not the time. I had to get ahold of myself. I giggled and then unwrapped myself from his arms stepping away and turning to face him. "Of course it was, you silly dope. Now, let's go."

"Marinette," Alya called before we had barely gotten a few steps. "Is it okay if I commandeer your boyfriend for a little while? I need to talk to him."

Blood rushed to my face, "S-sure…..b-but he's not my boyfriend."

Adrien's face mimicked mine as he sheepishly looked to the ground. Alya nearly burst out in laughter. "Aww, you keep telling yourself that hun; that's real cute," Alya mocked. "Now, your _boyfriend_ and I are just going to go have a little chat over by the funnel cake stand. You and Nino go have fun."

Before Adrien had any chance to respond, Alya took him by the wrist and dragged him away. His face had a look that was somewhere between shock and terror.

"Poor Adrien," Nino commented as he stepped up beside me. "Now that Alya seems to be talking again, she won't hold back. So Marinette, what do you want to do?"

"Tikki, Spots On!" I said with little enthusiasm. I didn't really feel like transforming into Ladybug, but I knew that the only way I could reach the platform in order to place my letter would be by using my yoyo. I looked at my spotted gloved fingertips and scoffed at the blasphemy of it all. I was no longer a hero, and it was quite dishonorable parading around as if I still was one. I didn't deserve to wear this suit anymore. Especially since the only reason for my tranformation was purely selfish in my desire to contact Chat.

Even though I knew that the reason for my wearing the suit was not by any means heroic, I could not stop myself from leaping from my balcony and swinging towards the Eiffel Tower. After the letter was placed, I decided to lower myself to the base of the tower and allow myself to detransform. Thankfully, it was around two in the morning, so no one was around to see me.

The slightly cool midsummer air seeped its way into my body bringing it strength and refreshment. I thought back upon Adrien's face as he returned with Alya after an apparently harrowing interrogation. He had been flushed and obviously quite embarrassed. In fact, for the rest of the evening, he seemed to be quite a bit more reserved. Almost like a kitten who had been kicked way too many times.

I decided to take the long route home, so that I could enjoy the feeling of the cool air upon my skin and the peaceful silence of the sleeping city. A few minutes into my joyous retreat, a shrill scream pierced its way into my ear.

I froze. Someone was in danger just around the corner. A part of me wanted to rush in and save the day, but another part of me was terrified. Tikki had not yet recharged, so transforming into Ladybug was not an option. I had to remain as Marinette. What could Marinette do in a situation like this? Marinette was weak and not at all brave like Ladybug had been.

Another scream filled the air causing me to instinctively propel myself forward. I caught myself as I reached the edge of the corner. What should I do? If I put myself into view, then I could be put into harm's way. However, if I did nothing, then someone else could get hurt. Could I live with myself if I decided to do nothing? How could a former superhero even think about leaving someone who was in danger?

I peeked my head around the corner so that I could get a read on what exactly the situation was. There were about five young men huddled around an innocent looking girl, who couldn't have been any older than myself, as she was pressed against a brick wall. I couldn't get a good look at the girl due to the men surrounding her, but I could tell that she had long blonde hair.

"Come on gorgeous," one of the men slurred. "We can show you a real good time. Just come with us and you'll see." He grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her towards him as he wrapped his other arm around her waist. The other boys just laughed and cheered him on as the girl screamed and struggled against him. I realized that none of these boys looked as if they would be predators of any sort. They were all well dressed and nicely groomed. It just goes to show that one can't be judged by looks alone.

My blood was boiling and spots were swarming in my vision. There was no way that I could let this continue. I turned back towards the direction I had come from to see if there was anything that I could use as a weapon. Unfortunately for me, there was nothing. I would just have to do this myself. I took a deep breath and then confidently strided around the corner.

"Get away from her!" I boldly demanded as the perpetrator stroked the young girl's hair. He gave me a menacing look with his short black hair and dark brown eyes. The other boys turned my direction and began to walk towards me.

"Or what? Sugar," the leader sneered as he pulled the girl even closer placing his hand upon her cheek. "Look boys, someone else has come to play with us. Bring her over here."

A slight stench of alcohol and nicotine wafted through my nose as the group of boys pulled closer in. I couldn't let this go on any further; I wanted nothing to do with this pack of miscreants. "Not going to happen," I said as I darted around, dodging the hands that were reaching for me, quickly closing the gap between me and my main objective. Before the delinquent could even register what was happening, I had one hand tightly knotted within his hair and the other arm wrapped around his neck making it impossible for him to breathe. He let go of his hold of the girl as he tried to pry my arms off of him.

Once the other men realized what was going on, they started to run back towards us. I knew that I could never fend off that many assailants at once, so I took that as my cue to leave. With amazing speed, I relinquished my hold of the now dumbfounded man, and jumped forward flinging the horror struck girl over my shoulder. I ran all the way to my parent's bakery only sitting the girl down once we had made it safely inside with the door locked behind us.

My heart was pounding as I bent over, out of breath. What had I just done? I, Marinette, had actually saved someone. Certainly it had been a lot more crude, than what I would have done as Ladybug, but without my enhanced strength, yoyo, or even my lucky charm, I wasn't left with very many options of what I could do. My head was spinning as I tried to process what had just happened. I had always thought that I could only be a hero as Ladybug. I never believed that I could be strong or brave as Marinette, but I had just proven that that belief had been a lie. Was it possible that it wasn't just the suit that had made me a hero? Was it actually something that was inside of me? Was the difference between Ladybug and me only a figment of my imagination that I had created within my own mind in order to keep my identity a secret? If that was the case, then wouldn't it be possible to portray my Ladybug qualities even as Marinette?

"M-M-Marinette?" a meek voice asked from the corner of the room where I had placed the girl. How did she know my name? I looked up only to be greeted by blonde hair and a familiar pair of strikingly blue eyes. My heart leaped in my chest as I realized who exactly I was looking at and who I had saved.

"Chloe?!" I shrieked as she ran towards me wrapping her arms around me in a tight embrace. All of the sudden, she burst into tears and lowered her head so that she could cry into my shoulder. "It's going to be okay," I comforted her. "You are going to be just fine…"


	12. Chapter 12: The New Heroine of Paris

**Clarisa: Thanks again for the fantastic thoughts. I did have a transition space in my writing, but tends to get rid of those in my copy and paste process. Your thoughts on Marinette are spot on! You will get a taste for what Alya said to Adrien in this chapter. I'm not giving it all to you. You can fill in the gaps. I love hearing you analysis of my characters. Keep it up.**

 **8YearsOfMaka** **: Thanks! Marinette has been fun to work with. I hope you enjoy this chapter just as well.**

"Rough day, huh kid?" Plagg sang as we entered my bedroom after a long day at the carnival. "First you lose your girlfriend and then you get threatened by her best friend. Sounds like an outstanding day to me."

I glided over to my bed and curled beneath the covers feeling comforted by their warm, gentle hugs against my chilled skin. The events of the day spiraled through my mind as I tried to digest everything that had happened. I had not expected to lose my status as Marinette's boyfriend so quickly, and I most definitely had _not_ expected to feel so crushed when Mari had so blatantly pointed out the fact that she was _not_ my girlfriend to Alya.

Alya, on the other hand, just seemed to think that Marinette was being foolish, continuing to call me her boyfriend, secretly lifting my spirits. However, those spirits were quickly brought back down once Alya had pulled me to the side to have a little 'chat.'

She began by calling me "pretty boy" and demanding that I treat her best friend with "respect." I had been horrified by the possibility of others thinking that I had any ill suited intentions towards Marinette. After profusely apologizing to Alya about my misjudged flirtatious behavior, she then went on to tell me how happy she was that Mari and I were finally together saying things such as "seeing the way you look at her fills my _own_ heart with joy."

Just as I was beginning to think that our conversation was going well, she remarked on my newfound "unpredictability" and the fact that she knew that there were still many hidden parts of myself that she nor Marinette had yet seen. Her exact words had been, "I'm just hoping that those hidden parts of you will work in favor of your relationship with Marinette once they come out." Alya's perception had astounded me and I made a mental note to be careful around Alya from that point on. If anyone was going to discover that I was a secret superhero, it would be her.

To top everything else off, she then proceeded by warning me not to "screw this up" or I would have to suffer the consequences of dealing with her, later. After all of that, she decided to confuse me utterly and completely by complementing on how cute Marinette and I looked together and saying that she couldn't wait to see how our relationship would grow.

Saying that my conversation with Alya had overwhelmed me would be an understatement. Her nearly bipolar view of my relationship with Marinette had me reeling with joy alongside an insatiable terror. Alya could either be our biggest supporter or my worst enemy if I got things wrong. Needless to say, I did _not_ want to speak about any of this with my way too condescending kwami.

"Shut it, Plagg, or I won't get you any of your precious Camembert." I threatened in an icy tone that was meant to thwart him from taking the conversation any further. Although, I should have known that nothing would come between him and his cheese. He would always find a way to weasel himself into getting it even if he did not necessarily deserve it.

Plagg descended upon my nightstand and proceeded to sway across it as if it was one of my father's catwalks. "But… without my cheese, how could you ever hope to reach that box to see if _Ladybug_ responded to your letter?"

The letter. I had completely forgotten about the letter that I had written to Ladybug with everything that was going on with Marinette. Also, I absolutely hated the way that Plagg had said Ladybug, hanging on to it in such a way to make it sound as if I was actually still in love with her. I most assuredly was past that phase of my life and I had no intentions at all of going back down that path. I had done my duty. I had let Ladybug know that I was doing well. Did she need anything more than that? I definitely didn't think so. Nothing good could come from opening that line of communication again. My time with Ladybug was sadly, but truthfully, over.

"That's fine by me," I curtly responded, "I'm not planning on writing any more letters to Ladybug anyway."

Plagg flew over and nestled himself down on the pillow next to me. "Do whatever you want, Adrien. I don't care," he said as he yawned and turned over whispering something about finding his own way to get some cheese.

"Thanks, Plagg, I will," I spat as I rolled over snuggling even further down into my silky sheets.

Just as I was about to fall asleep, Plagg decided to speak up, "But…. Aren't you even the tiniest bit curious as to what your Lady might be wanting to say to you? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to possibly discover who Ladybug really is. Are you sure you want to pass up on that?"

For some reason, this conversation was really getting on my nerves even though Plagg did pose an interesting question. Ever since I had met Ladybug, I had been dying to know who she was underneath the mask. I would have done anything, given anything in order to know who that mysterious girl was. However, things were different now. I was no longer in love with Ladybug, and I had Marinette to think about. Honestly, with Marinette in my life, all desire to know the identity of Ladybug was gone. It didn't matter who she was. At this point, it wouldn't change a thing.

"Yep," I confidently replied. "I could care less who Ladybug is and what she wants to say to me. Now let me sleep"

( )

I woke up in a cold sweat having dreamt that Marinette had been attacked by an akumatized villain. For some reason, I could not transform into Chat Noir and Ladybug was nowhere to be found. All I could do was watch as the menace harmed the girl that I cared for. I had never felt so much hopelessness and fear in my life until that moment. Even if it had been only a dream. I looked over at Plagg to see that he had somehow managed to sneak away some cheese as evidenced by the half uneaten wheel that he was currently sleeping on.

Even though I knew that what I had just experienced had only been a dream, I could not shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong with Marinette. I tried to settle myself down, but sleep was not going to come to me until I had determined that Mari was okay.

Without even thinking, I yelled, "Plagg Claws Out!" The poor sleeping kwami was sucked into my ring as I transformed into my other self. I darted out the window, neglecting to look at the time, lunging myself in the direction of Marinette's home. The cool air felt wonderful against my still clammy skin that was a result of sweating during the nightmare.

The moon's dim light happily glistened off the otherwise dark windows of the sleeping city below as if in a silent gesture welcoming its favorite black cat back into the night. Strolling through the streets of Paris while others slept peacefully in their beds was nothing new for me. I had spent countless hours in high school aimlessly leaping from rooftop to rooftop as I tried to escape the reality that had been my life. I shuddered at the memory of how angry and lonely I had been back in those days. My only refuge from the pain seemed to have been those long and quiet nights spent alone in the darkness. The entirety of the city had been mine, hindering nothing in my path - a stark contrast to the stifling nature of my daytime routine.

I had nearly gotten to the bakery when the sound of a young girl's scream halted my progression. Even though I desperately wanted to check in on Marinette to make sure that everything was alright, there was no way that Chat Noir was going to ignore a civilian in need.

Just as I landed on the rooftop above the darkened alleyway where the scream had emanated, I heard a familiar voice demanding, "Get away from her!" Looking down below, I caught sight of a young blonde woman held in the arms of an unknowingly ill fortuned man, now that Chat Noir had arrived. He turned his menacing gaze towards the voice that had called him out sending a chill up my spine. As I looked upon the girl that had spoken, my heart nearly stopped beating. I couldn't breathe, and for some unknown reason, I couldn't even move. It was Marinette.

Wild visions swarmed through my head as I contemplated the circumstances that could have placed Marinette walking the streets of Paris at this time of night. I wondered if my nightmare had been a foreshadowing or a warning of this exact event; there was no way of knowing if that dream had only been mere coincidence or if I had been sent to this moment for a particular purpose. I _did_ know one thing, though, and that was the fact that nothing bad was going to happen to Marinette. I would _not_ allow it.

The other _men_ began to walk towards Marinette as the one holding the blonde mocked her, demanding that she be brought to him. My ears thrummed and my body surged with adrenaline at the thought of hurting every last one of these despicable scum. They would not put a single hand on _my_ princess. My heightened senses alerted me to the fact that this group of ruffians had overpartaken a certain beverage that likely should have been avoided entirely. I knew that their reaction time would most certainly be dampened, but their overall actions would be much more volatile than regularly expected. Speed would hopefully be the only thing that was necessary in this situation. If I wasn't fast enough, then things could go south quite quickly.

As I readied my baton and bent my knees in preparation of my jump, Marinette sprung into action causing me to only be able watch in unsurpassed wonder. "Not going to happen," she promised as she gracefully sprinted around the hands that were reaching towards her. Seeing Marinette move like this brought images of Ladybug in action flashing through my mind. Then, as if in an effort to pull me back into reality, she launched herself upon the main assailant yanking his hair and locking him in a deadly chokehold. He let go of the girl as he fumbled with Marinette's arm trying to get her to let go. However, in a flash, she was off of his back and swiftly running away with the girl draped over her shoulder.

With an unfaltering inability to breathe, I watched in disbelief as Marinette, my _princess_ , ran towards the bakery with the girl that she had just heroically saved. Some of the men tried to follow her, but I knew that that just simply could not happen. With a newfound determination, I quickly caught my breath and flung myself from the rooftop landing in front of the unsuspecting gang while twirling my baton. "You will _not_ be going after those girls," I hissed, "or you will have to deal with me!"

Without even saying a word, every single one of the perpetrators turned on their heels and ran in the opposite direction. A deep sense of satisfaction crept through my bones at the fear I had witnessed within their eyes. It was nice knowing that Chat Noir still frightened those who intend to do evil, even after all of these years of hiatus. A wicked grin spread across my face as a hoard of cat puns raced through my mind. If it wasn't for the fact that I had someplace to be, I most certainly would have chased those men down and given them an earful of my greatest lines.

Leaping back into action, I used my baton to hurdle myself right back in front of the unsuspecting gang. "Where do you think you're going?" I taunted. "Don't you realize that I have to 'cat'ch you now? You know purrrrfectly well that I can't do that."

If only Ladybug had been here, then we could have just rounded them up with her yoyo. However, I would have to be much more creative. I looked around as the men began to back away spotting a narrow alleyway that I knew to be a dead end. I extended my baton holding it horizontally, just as a tight right walker would, and charged towards my prey slamming into them and forcing them into the alleyway. With my normal strength, there would be no way that I could have pushed five grown men at once, but with the strength gained by my miraculous combined with the coursing adrenaline in my veins, it was no problem. I herded the men until we reach the back wall. Then, I shoved the baton tightly against their guts and extended it further so that it would be braced into the sides of the walls effectively pinning my prize.

"You guys do look pretty 'hissterical' if I do say so myself. Now don't go anywhere; I'll be right back." With that, I ran to the police station to inform the officers of my catch. To say that the entirety of the station was surprised to see Chat Noir was an understatement. There was no way that this was going to stay quiet.

After the police had taken the men into custody and I had retrieved my baton, I bolted towards the bakery to make sure that Marinette had made it there safely. My stomach felt nauseous at the thought of anything bad happening to Marinette. Even though I didn't have very far to go, it seemed as if ages had passed before I made it to the entrance of her tiny home. Peeking in through the window, I could see her comforting the blonde girl as she cried into Marinette's shoulder. A wave of relief washed over me as the realization that my princess was safe sunk in. I decided to go back to a neighboring rooftop so that I could watch and make sure that no more harm came to the two girls in the bakery.

As I allowed myself to calm down, new thoughts drifted into my head. What had I just witnessed? Marinette, my sweet, _peaceful_ Marinette, had just plowed through a group of five men in order to save a helpless girl in need. I knew that Marinette could be brave, but I had had no idea that she could pull off something like this. In fact, the precision that she used in her movements reminded me a lot of how Ladybug used to fight as evidenced by the brief visions of the heroine that had somehow been triggered. Granted the final method that Marinette used in freeing the girl was not Ladybug like in any way, but really what else could she have done in a situation such as that?

I watched the bakery for several minutes before determining that the two girls within were safe. As I hurtled through the streets of Paris, my mind was still trying reconcile Marinette's actions that I had just witnessed with the image of Marinette that I had always known. Never in my wildest dreams would I have expected her to do something that reckless and yet courageous. If I hadn't known any better, then I _would_ have thought that I had just just seen Ladybug help a girl in need, not Marinette. But it _had_ been Marinette that I had seen. Not Ladybug. Marinette was _not_ Ladybug.

My body and mind were exhausted when I finally made my way back into my bedroom. I detransformed and immediately flew to my bed willing myself to fall instantly asleep knowing that I could not allow my mixed up thoughts to continue any further. Marinette was just Marinette. That's all she was. This didn't change anything….. nothing was different… Marinette was just an ordinary girl…...


	13. Chapter 13: A New Friend

"H-hello?" I stammered, answering the phone that had so rudely awakened me from my peaceful slumber. Breaking my warm cocoon of blankets and reaching my bare arm out into cold morning air immediately put me in a foul mood. My eyes were still closed and I had no idea who was waiting on the other end of the line. Whoever my fiendish caller turned out to be would soon be getting an earful about waking me up so early on a Sunday morning.

"Did I wake you?" a beautiful voice asked causing my eyes to shoot right open and my heart to dance. "I can call back later if you would like to get some more sleep." All of the sudden, the anger within me dissipated leaving only the strong desire to eternally listen to this voice.

"No, Adrien," I nearly pleaded, "don't hang up. I'm okay. I promise."

Adrien laughed, "Alright, Mari, I'll keep talking then. I was calling to see if you had any plans for the day. It would be nice to get some alone time together after our extravaganza yesterday, don't you think?"

It felt as if dozens of tiny ladybugs were fluttering throughout my stomach at the thought of spending the entire day with Adrien; we had never done that before. Not an entire day just to ourselves anyway. I sat up in bed overlooking the expanse of my bedroom below. Looking around, with still partly cloudy eyes, everything seemed to be normal. That was until I caught sight of a lumpy figure sprawled out across my chaise. After thoroughly rubbing my eyes, I could see that the sleeping figure below was none other than Chloe Bourgeois.

Memories of the previous night's escapades flooded my mind as I remembered how I had rescued the conceited blonde as Marinette, not as Ladybug. Chloe had spent what seemed like hours crying into my shoulder before I gently lead her to my room offering her a place to sleep. Along with that offer, a promise had been made to stay with her for as long as she needed today. My heart sank as the reality sunk in that I would have to turn down Adrien in order to spend the day with Chloe, my former nemesis.

Taking a deep breath I answered, "Adrien, I am so sorry. I actually already have plans for today."

"That's okay," he abruptly replied, "I'll see you tomorrow at lunch. Goodbye Marinette." With that, he hung up the phone leaving me a little confused at his harsh response and all alone with a sleeping Chloe in my bedroom.

I quietly descended down the ladder from my bed and gathered some clean clothing to change into, pausing for a moment to look at the girl slumbering before me. It had been roughly four years since I had seen Chloe. Looking at her now, I could see that she was nothing like I had remembered. Her hair had grown significantly longer, nearly reaching all the way down her back, and the features of her face seemed somehow softer and less severe than they had been in high school. However, it wasn't the physical differences that had me in awe; it was, in fact, her behavior, her personality, something about the vulnerability that she had shown last night that had me thinking that something about Chloe had really changed.

The first rays of the the sun's soft light were beginning to peek through the windows. Rarely ever did I wake up before my room was completely brightened, and I was extremely tempted to scramble back up my ladder into the warm embrace of my bed sheets. However, Tikki silently flew to my shoulder motioning for me to head to the bathroom only speaking once we had made it into the security of that tiny sanctuary.

"Marienette, I never got the chance to speak to you about what happened last night." I cupped my hands reaching them out so that Tikki would have a place to sit as she spoke to me. She gracefully landed upon my palms and continued, "You were amazing, Marienette. That was all you. You saved Chloe by your _own_ courage and your _own_ strength."

I opened my mouth to reply, but Tikki held out her hand as a sign for me to keep quiet. "I know that at times you have doubted yourself, thinking that the heroic part of you had been left behind the day that Ladybug was no longer needed." She paused giving me a few seconds to let what she had said sink in. She _was_ right. I had always felt that I had lost a part of myself when I gave up being the famed superhero. Everything that had made me strong was simply, gone.

"But," she chimed on, "I am here to tell you that the bravery and heroism that you possessed when you were Ladybug had nothing to do with the suit. It was all you, Marienette. It was always you. Now, even though Ladybug is no longer a necessary part of your life, those qualities that made her a hero are just begging to shine through. You have kept those traits of yourself so carefully guarded that they have been tearing you up inside. Marienette, you may not be called any longer to wear a red and black suit, but you _are_ still needed. Others need you as Marienette. _I_ need you as Marienette. You can still show the world your courage, your bravery, and your strength as the girl who stands before me right now. You don't need a mask to be a hero. You never did. You _are_ a hero; you never stopped being one. Quit holding yourself back and let yourself free. You have to accept _who_ you are."

"Marienette, are you in there?" Chloe's voice rang through the door before I even had a chance to think about everything that Tikki had just said.

Tikki flew to the counter as I began fumbling with my clothing in an attempt to get quickly changed. "Yes, Chloe," I responded just as my leg got caught in my pants sending me tumbling into the unlocked door causing it to fly open as I landed on the ground right in front of Chloe.

"Are you okay?" Chloe asked with genuine concern in her voice. She reached out her hand to help me stand as I continued to hoist up my pants. Not only had Chloe just witnessed my legendary clumsiness, but she had seen me in my underwear. If we had still been in high school, I literally would have died.

Chloe looked me up and down in analysis before crossing her arms and huffing, "How can one girl go from being hardcore enough to rescue a damsel in distress from _five_ grown men - to being clumsy enough to fall out of her _own_ bathroom while getting dressed? I will never understand you Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

( )

"So, Chloe, if you don't mind my asking, why were you out so late last night?" I asked as were eating the breakfast that I had prepared during Chloe's shower. I had made a breakfast keish featuring all of my favorite early morning foods including eggs, bacon, sausage, spinach, and cheese. On the side, we were to enjoy a few eclairs that I had grabbed from the bakery. It had been a while since I had prepared such a meal, and the savory smells mixed with the sweet scent of the bakery below happily greeted my nose.

Chloe swallowed a bite of her keish and then spoke. "You know, I could ask the same about you, Miss Marienette, but I will oblige you an answer seeing as how I have nothing to hide." She took a sip of her orange juice and then continued on. "I was heading home after just finishing my shift at the coffee house just a few blocks away from here. Willy, my manager, usually walks me home, but he called in sick last night leaving me to walk the streets all alone."

Nearly choking on my food, I gazed at Chloe with wide eyes. Never, in a million years, would I have expected Chloe, the mayor's daughter, to actually be working. Not only did she have a job, but it was not as glamorous as one would expect Chloe to find, _if_ one were to expect Chloe to actually find a job.

"I can see your confused," Chloe added clearly deducing the dumbfounded look on my face. "You're thinking how could the rich and overly snobby Chloe Bourgeois ever take a job as a barista girl? Surely this is not the same Chloe that I remember from high school. The girl who always called on daddy when she didn't get her way. The girl who never did a single night's worth of her own homework. How could this possibly be her?"

Chloe's words caused me to shift uncomfortably in my seat. She had pinned down my thoughts perfectly. Chloe _had_ always been incredibly perceptive. However, she had often used those deductions to bring other people down. "Um…." I began, "That's not _exactly_ what I was thinking….."

"Oh don't be modest, Mari. I know what everyone thought of me, and they were _right_. I _was_ the spoiled rich girl who only cared about pleasing herself. I was a terrible person, and for that, I am truly sorry. But… I am not that person anymore. My dad made sure of that."

My keish was getting cold, but I didn't care. This was important. Chloe had never opened up to me like this before, and I was finding myself truly intrigued with the person that she had become. "How did he do that?" I asked, genuinely interested in what he could have done in order to change his daughter so dramatically.

Chloe sighed, "Well, it all began my first year of college. My father somehow had managed to get me accepted into Columbia University in New York City. However, instead of studying and doing any sort of work, I spent all of my time shopping. I tried finding someone to do my school work, but for some reason, no one was willing to. After I flunked my first semester and returned home for the holidays, father confronted me giving me only one week to find a job and a new place to live."

Chloe stopped to take a bite of her now lukewarm food. "That must have been awful," I said while placing my hand on top of the one that she had resting on the table. "What did you do?"

"I did what any other spoiled brat would have done. I mocked him and tried to call him out on his bluff. Unfortunately for me, he was not bluffing. Within the week, he had shut down all of my credit and debit cards and told all of his employees not to let me back into the hotel." Chloe stopped so she could shove the entire eclair into her mouth making my own taste buds salivate. I decided that I would join her in finishing my meal.

After a few minutes of joyously stuffing our faces, I broke the silence to continue our conversation. "So that's when you decided to go out and get a job?" I asked as my taste buds were still revelling in the sweet, sugary goodness of my final bite of eclair.

Chloe tried to stifle a laugh, "Of course not! There was no way that I was about to dirty my hands by working like a common low class citizen! I would have rather died!"

"Hello girls. Marinette, I didn't know you were expecting company. Chloe is it? It is so nice to see you," my father, Tom, grinned wildly, obviously bemused by the fact that I had someone over other than Alya. His eyes sparkled with delight while his rosy cheeks seemed to brighten. "Should we expect Miss Borgeous for lunch? I have a new recipe that I have been dying to try out."

My cheeks flushed in anticipation of the embarrassment that my father's untested cooking could ensue. These _new recipes_ always ended in only one of two possible outcomes: a delicious success or a complete, disastrous failure. "Papa! Please, just make something that we know that we already love! We don't want our guest getting sick. You know what happened the last time we tried one of your new concoctions." My mother, father, and I had spent an entire day stuck in the bathroom. No one wanted a repeat of that catastrophic event.

The jovial man burst into laughter sending tremors throughout his entire body. His laugh was infectious, causing me to bend over in uncontrollable giggles that sent a sharp pain down my sides. I was surprised to find that Chloe had not joined us in our merry escape as I looked up to see her standing and poised to exit the room.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Dupain," Chloe said with a seriousness in her voice that I had never heard before, "but I just remembered that I had promised a friend that I would bring him lunch today. He sounded pretty rough when he called in sick yesterday." She then turned to face me looking at me with her large, and unmistakingly _kind_ , blue eyes. "Thank you Marinette, for everything. I will call you so we can finish our conversation, okay?"

And for the first time in my life, I was sad to see Chloe go. I desperately wanted to hear the rest of the story that created the girl that I saw today. The Chloe that I had known in the past would have never done something as selfless as deliver food to someone who was feeling ill. Not only had it been her _own_ idea to provide the sick boy with a meal, but she looked truly distraught at the fact that she had nearly forgotten to do so. It was hard to admit, but I was actually looking forward to the phone call that I would hopefully soon be receiving from the metamorphosized girl.

( )

"What's up Marinette?" Adrien asked on our usual lunch date the following day. "You have hardly said a word, and your food is getting cold, uneaten on the plate."

I looked up, taking a break from mindlessly stirring my mashed potatoes, to stare into his fathoms deep, worry stricken eyes. "I'm sorry Adrien," I said with a fake smile, "I'm just distracted today is all. I didn't mean to make you worry."

A soft, kind smile delicately formed upon Adrien's lips as he reached his hand forward, across the table, to grab onto mine. "You know you can talk to me about it, right? I'm here for you Marinette. I want you to feel like you can share anything with me."

My heart danced at the sound of his words but quickly plummeted to the pit of my stomach as I realized that I couldn't be completely honest with him. First, there was the whole Chloe thing. As if that whole scenario wasn't crazy enough on its own, apparently there had been more to the story after Chloe and I had fled the scene.

Not long after Chloe had left my house the previous day, Alya had called to tell me all about the latest news. She had been extremely excited to tell me, well shout at me, that Chat Noir had returned. Of course, I already knew that Chat was back, but I had not expected him to return into the limelight so quickly - or at all, honestly. Not only had Chat Noir been a hero once again, but he had apprehended the very criminals that Chloe and I had fled from. With that bit of information, my mind couldn't handle the amount of scenarios that it was playing out. I wondered if Chat had actually seen my interaction with those scumbags, and if that was the case, why didn't he show himself? Had I really been that close to my kitty and completely missed my opportunity to see him?

Also, now that Chat noir had made _his_ comeback, everyone would now be wondering about Ladybug and why she hadn't been with Chat. Alya had already expressed to me the idea that we should expect to see Ladybug soon, as well. As if I needed that kind of pressure in my life. I didn't even know if I wanted to be in the public eye again. It wasn't as if there were any akumas around to defeat.

If all of that was not enough for me to be thinking about, there was the matter of my untouched and unread letter that I had discovered on my last trip to the Eiffel Tower. I knew, by media, that Chat had been out the night that I had placed that letter, and another whole evening had passed. Of course, Chat would get to the letter eventually, I'm sure, but for some reason an uneasy feeling was growing inside of me.

I squeezed Adrien's hand and meekly replied, "Thanks Adrien. A lot happened this weekend, and I'm just not quite ready to talk about it yet."

Adrien's eyes dulled as he pulled back his hand and picked up his utensils to prepare another bite. "I understand, Mari. I'll give you some time to think it over. I have a few things that I have been trying to process as well."

All of the sudden, I did not like the way this conversation was going. If Adrien and I were ever to have a real relationship, then we couldn't keep what was bothering us from each other. It was written all over Adrien's face that he felt the same way. I couldn't leave things like this.

"Let's make a promise," I said while grabbing onto both of Adrien's hands effectively making him drop his food. "Friday, after work, we will spend the whole evening together and share with each other what has been on our minds. I would love to do it earlier, but I have a major deadline that I have to meet by Friday afternoon. What do you say? Deal?"

With wide eyes, and a nearly malicious looking grin, Adrien sealed the promise, "Deal."


	14. Chapter 14: Lucky Charms

**Again, that you all for you thoughtful reviews. I am taking notes on many of your ideas and hope to use them in the future. In response to my guest reader who offered to be my beta reader, you said here is my e-mail... and then no e-mail showed up. I am not ignoring you. I literally had no idea how to contact you.**

 **I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

 **( )**

The ticking of the clock echoed throughout the vastness of the foyer as I paced back and forth across the cold, hard tile. Marinette would be here any second, in my home, for the first time since we had been dating, or whatever one would call what we had been doing. Waiting until today, Friday, to talk to Marinette about what had been on her mind all week had been pure, unfaltering torture. Even though we were able to have normal conversations, I could see that something inside was bothering her. In fact, with each passing day, she seemed to become more and more distraught. She tried to hide it behind forced smiles and empty laughter, but it was there - just waiting to be unleashed.

I originally had thought that her distracted behavior may have had something to do with the way I had responded to her on the phone. I had really wanted to hang out with her so that I could figure some things out. However, she told me that she had other plans. The high hopes that I had held about her opening up to me about her daring act of heroism had been dashed, and I was left to deal with all of my suspicions and doubts on my own. It had frustrated me that I wouldn't get the chance to appease my mind. I had taken out that frustration on Marinette in a curt and totally uncalled for manner.

I apologized to Marinette thinking that that would ease her mind, but her behavior never really changed. Then, I knew, that her distress must have something to do with the scene I had witnessed nearly a week prior. She obviously was still trying to process everything that had happened before sharing the details of her daring rescue with me. I couldn't even imagine what could be going through her head about that particular event. I wondered if she was afraid of something like that happening again, or if, by chance, she was more afraid of herself for what she had done. Either way, I looked forward to hearing about those answers, myself, once she arrived.

However, I was _not_ looking forward to sharing with Marinette what had been on _my_ mind. There was no way that I could possibly tell her that I had been suspecting her as possibly being Ladybug. _I_ didn't even know if my suspicions were logical or if I was just projecting Ladybug onto to Marinette because of my recent contact with my former crush. If Marinette _was_ Ladybug, then I would have no reason to worry about responding to her letters. But if Ladybug _wasn't_ Marinette, then was I just a crazy lovesick fool that was confusing my feelings with the girl that I was currently dating with the girl that I had previously loved? Everything was just so complicated, and there was no way that I could share any of that with Marinette - not without giving away the fact that I am Chat Noir. There was one thing, though, that I could possibly talk to Marinette about. Something else entirely that had been plaguing my mind.

It had all started when Mari had randomly asked me, about halfway through the week, if I had been in contact with Chloe over the last few years. Of all people to have brought up Chloe, I would have never expected it to be Marinette. Upon inquiring about this sudden interest in our former classmate, Marinette had just vaguely responded by saying that she had run into Chloe over the weekend and was surprised to see how much she had changed. A sudden pang of guilt clenched deep within my stomach when I realized I had neglected to contact Chloe letting her know that I was back in Paris. Chloe, at one point, was my only friend. It was foolish and thoughtless of me to not even let her know that I had returned.

That evening, I had decided to give Chloe a call. I apologized for not keeping in better touch with her over the years. Of course, I had called her to wish her a Merry Christmas each year, but besides that, I had barely talked to her. It was strange, though, that the first Christmas that I had tried to call, I only ever got her voicemail. I tried a few times, but it never even rang. The next year, and the following years after that, she had answered and merely wished me a joyous holiday in return.

After my apologies, Chloe simply brushed them aside saying that it really been her fault that we had fallen so out of touch. She told me that she had made some big changes in her life and that she had been afraid of what I would think of her if I knew. The fact that Chloe thought that I was _actually_ shallow enough to judge her based on whatever changes she had made in her life deeply troubled me. It caused me to wonder if I had only been seen as some sort of snobby rich kid who only cared about the status that one carried in society. Certainly, I had hoped that Chloe knew me better than that, but maybe she never even really knew me at all. Maybe she _did_ only see me for my fame and my money.

A loud knocking on the door brought my thoughts back into the present. My heart was pounding and my limbs were trembling in nervous anticipation. This was it. Marinette and I would finally get a chance to talk without a time limit and without the chance of others listening in on our conversation. I wiped the sweat off of my hands onto my jeans as I headed towards the entrance. Upon opening the door, my eyes were greeted by the site of near perfection. Every time that I have glimpsed Marinette outside of her usual work get up, my breath is instantly taken away, and this time was no exception. The simplistic beauty of her casually comfy attire showcased her features perfectly. It make me want to just wrap her up in my arms and snuggle her for an eternity.

The day had brought an endless deluge of a dreary downpour, which obviously played into Marinette's choice in clothing. She was wearing an oversized, thin grey hoodie that hugged her slightly past her hips. Black leggings and a pair red rainboots with black polka dots completed the look. Her hair was pulled back into a loose, messy bun that was held up by a bright strawberry-red scrunchy.

"I'm so glad to see that your dad took dow that creepy security system," Marinette giggled. "I wish you had told me; I was nervous just thinking about it the whole way here."

I couldn't help but to laugh. Honestly, I hadn't even thought about it. My dad had gotten rid of that system not long after he gave up his miraculous. Along with ditching his role of being Hawkmoth, his paranoia had greatly diminished . "I'm sorry, Mari. We got rid of that ages ago. I should have told you that I was going to leave the gate open. Oh well, hindsight twenty twenty they say." I put on the most devilish smile I could muster and then grabbed Marinette's hand swiftly dragging her towards my room. "Come on! Let's go play Ultimate Mecha Strike 7. You're _so_ gonna lose."

( )

Mecha strike had been the perfect ice breaker to upstart a conversation with Marinette. Not once did I see the disappointed look or worry in her voice that I had become accustomed to seeing and hearing throughout the week. We discussed strategy and how much we enjoyed playing together just like it was old times. It was an intense battle in which I was determined to win. I leaned forward with immaculate concentration putting everything that I had into that remote. Marinette simply sat relaxed on the couch, barely tapping the buttons as if she was playing some sort of fashion design game. However, round after round, despite all of my best efforts, Marinette completely crushed me.

At some point throughout the battle, although I couldn't attest to when, Marinette had squirmed her way right next to me. It had felt so natural, that I simply wrapped by arms around her and continued to play. It was times like this, that Marinette and I felt perfect together. Almost like we were meant to be. The tension within my body relaxed, but the competitive spirit within never went away.

After my tenth time of losing in a row, I couldn't take it anymore. I _had_ to beat Marinette at _something,_ even if that _wasn't_ Ultimate Mecha Strike 7. "Oh, it's on now," I smirked while reaching my hands around to tickle her beneath her ribcage. An instantaneous giggle erupted from Marinette causing her to fall back on the couch.

"A-Adrien…" she laughed, "why….are… y-you…..doing this…. To….m-me?"

"To prove my dominance, of course," I snickered while moving my fingers up and down her sides. Her harmonious giggles were full of pure joy and happiness. It had been so long, it seemed, that I had seen Marinette truly enjoying herself that I found _myself_ wanting to be trapped in this moment for a lifetime. Then, without warning, Marinette shoved me to the floor and hoisted herself on top of me.

Her eyes were sparkling as a playful smile spread across her face. "Well, two can play at that game." She reached forward to begin her own barrage of tickles, but I was much faster. I grabbed her on either side of her waist and flung her around while simultaneously placing myself above her - holding her arms down above her head. Marinette laid breathless on the ground as I was positioned above her with my knees on either side of her waist, my hands on her wrists, and my face only inches from hers. Her face became as red as her scrunchy, and she looked at me with large eyes that were full of surprise.

"You know," I whispered leaning forward so that I could speak directly into her ear, "I really thought that I would win at least one of those rounds seeing as how I had my lucky charm and everything."

Marinette gasped, making me pull back up into my original position so that I could see the reaction upon her face. "You still have that? I gave that to you years ago!"

I let go of her wrists and slid over so that I could help her up and sit next to her. "Of course I kept it, Mari. How else was I supposed to ever have a hope at beating you?" I allowed a playful smirk to paint itself upon my face as I reached over and toyed with a strand of Marinette's hair causing her slightly faded blush to regain its full strength. With my other hand, I reached into my pocket and pulled out a string that was made of mostly pink beads and a large green one. "But obviously it wasn't very useful. Maybe I should just throw it out…." I dangled the charm in front of Marinette's face while looking towards the trash can. I tried to stand to walk towards the receptacle, but Marinette stopped me.

"Don't you dare, Adrien Agreste," Marinette threatened while grabbing onto my arm and pulling me back to the ground, "I promise it's lucky." She then stuck her nose up in the air much like a pompous queen who is trying to prove her superiority over her subjects and then royally declared, "It's just that mine must be luckier."

"No….," I said with sarcasm. "Don't tell me that you have yours, too?"

Marinette reached into the pocket of her hoodie and pulled out a long string that was adorned with yellow and blue beads. It was the first time that I had seen the pair together since I had made hers so many years before. I was glad that she still had it.

"I always keep it with me," Marinette smiled. "It reminds me of you." Her face turned pink as she hastily added, "I-I mean lucky makes me! No! I-It makes me lucky!"

I couldn't help but to laugh at Marinette's embarrassment. I could have bugged her about thinking of me even when I was in China, but I decided that it would be best not to. I knew that she had had a crush on me throughout the years; there was no need to make her feel uncomfortable about it. I'd let her in on my little secret, instead

"I've often used mine ever since you gave it to me, as well," I began. "I always took it into exams and brought it along in uncomfortable situations." Marinette leaned her head against my shoulder as I went on, "It always made me feel peaceful and calm….. and I guess, in some way, it always made me think of you."

As soon as I uttered those words, a new thought entered my mind. I wondered if it really had been the lucky charm that had filled me with such ease, or if it had been what the lucky charm had always made me think of. The possibility that the comfort I had felt had come from thinking of Marinette - even before I had developed feelings for her - had me deeply confused. If that was the real reason for my luck, then did that mean that I actually already _did_ feel something for her? Had I secretly felt something towards Marinette all of those years without even knowing it?

Marinette sighed, lifting her head from my shoulder and pulled herself back onto the couch. She pulled her knees into her chest and rested her chin upon them with that saddened look, returning to her eyes. I knew that her thoughts must have drifted back to whatever had been troubling her all week. I stood and slowly joined her on the couch placing my arm across her shoulders.

"Do you want to talk?" I hesitantly asked. I didn't want to force her into anything that she wasn't ready to talk about, even though this whole evening _had_ been her idea.

Marinette sighed while pulling her knees in even closer, "Not really." The now dim evening light cascaded upon Marinette's face in a final attempt to illuminate the hidden truth that Marinette was so carefully safeguarding. I knew that Marinette was keeping something from me and for some reason, the fact that she was not ready to open up to me felt like a jab in the heart. It was a pain that was completely unexpected and utterly unfair to Marinette that I would even be feeling this way. I, myself, had secrets that I was not ready to share with Marinette, so why, I wondered, was it that it hurt so much when she didn't share hers with me?

Then, as I gazed upon her absolute beauty, I understood. Marinette and I had yet to earn that kind of trust with each other. Of course I knew that. That was why we had decided that we could not call ourselves boyfriend and girlfriend yet. However, knowing that we were not to that point of sharing everything and actually experiencing the rejection of not being told something are two different things. I _wanted_ Marinette to trust me enough to share everything with me. I wanted her to open her heart, so that I could know her inside and out. Also, I wanted to share _my_ heart and _my_ secrets, but, no matter how desperately I wanted to be ready for those things, we just simply...weren't there yet.

As I pondered what it would take for Marinette and me to earn that kind of trust, she took a deep breath and whispered, "But I have to tell someone, Adrien." Marinette then lifted her head and turned to stare directly at me. The irises of her eyes caught perfectly in the path of the final rays of the sun causing them to glisten and dance - entrapping me within her gaze. "And right now," she whispered, "the only person that I want to talk to….. is you."

My heart nearly stopped. Marinette was finally opening up to me. No matter what she said, I would be grateful. This was the first step in developing a _real_ relationship with Marinette. "I'm listening," I barely managed to croak out, "and I will help you in whatever way I can."


	15. Chapter 15: Lean on Me

**Clarissa: I tried to e-mail you, but you never responded. Hopefully I can get you in on the next chapter.**

 **I know that this is chapter is shorter than many of my other chapters, but adding on to it just didn't seem right. Get ready for all of the feels. This ship is getting real yawl. Oh, and get ready for chapter 16. We are going places.**

Compassionate. Steadfast. Beckoning. Adrien's strikingly beautiful green eyes were the gateway into the very depths of his soul. They eased any sense of doubt that I had lurking within my mind. I could trust him. I _should_ trust him. I _had_ to tell him what was on my mind. That was the only way we could ever form a true, everlasting relationship, and honestly, at this point, I just wanted his comfort. I _wanted_ Adrien to know how much I was hurting so that he could be there for me. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and to tell me that everything would be okay. I craved his affection. I craved it more than anything.

For some reason, though, taking that step of sharing my insecurities terrified me. Adrien had always been such a distant dream that the idea of opening up emotionally seemed impossible. The fact that Adrien could learn about the innermost struggles that I held deep inside of myself had seemed like an implausible idea. It was irrational, of course, but it is hard to admit that the person that I have been pining after for so many years was here in front of me.

However, those eyes told a different story. Those enchanting eyes that earnestly peered down at me as they lightly glistened in the sun. He _did_ care about me, and he sincerely wanted to help me in any way that he could. The time had finally arrived. Now was the moment to take down the shield. I had to allow myself to become vulnerable. It was time for Adrien to see a piece of my heart, and hopefully, for me to see a piece of his.

"It's this friend I had," I began while fiddling with my thumbs. "We haven't seen each other in a long time, and I was really hoping to reconnect with that person."

Adrien smiled while gently tucking a lose strand of my hair behind my ear, "That sounds familiar. I don't know what I would do if _we_ had never reunited. What happened?"

Heat rushed to my face as an all too familiar blush reappeared. The fact that Adrien saw our reunion as something that he couldn't live without came as a shock to me. I wondered if I could actually share my thoughts and feelings with him, but it still just didn't seem real that he could actually have feelings for me. I had to try to trust him with mine. Even though I had not experienced his emotions yet, I hoped that in slowly opening up to him, it might break down that barrier keeping us apart.

With a deep inhale, I prepared myself to pour out my heart to the man that I hoped that I would one day form a deeply passionate relationship with. "I recently got back into contact with this friend….or so I had thought. It had been tough not hearing from this person for so long, and I had been so happy to hear that that person's life is going well. However, that person just…..just stopped responding."

Adrien's muscles seemed to stiffen and become rigid as a look of recognition flickered in his eyes just before he looked away. He then took a few deep breaths before relaxing and turning back to me with an inquiring gaze. "How long has it been?" He asked with a stern seriousness that I had never heard him use before. "How long ago was it that you last heard a response from your friend?" A sense of desperation permeated through Adrien's voice. I was baffled as to why he seemed so intense as to knowing the answer to this question, but I was touched to know that he seemed to _care_ so much.

"Uh….about a week," I meekly answered realizing how ridiculous I sounded while tilting my head down to look at the ground. "I know that a week doesn't sound like a long time, but I just feel like this person should have responded by now."

A gentle hand nestled its way beneath my chin guiding my gaze upward so that I could look, once again, into those tender green eyes. "Don't worry," Adrien's soothing voice promised, "your friend will respond soon."

The quickly fading light in the room was now a dull reminder of diminishing relationship that I had held with Chat Noir. Just as the darkness of night is inevitable, the end of our friendship seemed so near. I gently caressed the hand that was beneath my chin within my palms lowering it to rest upon my lap. "You can't know that," I somberly stated. Adrien tilted his head, like an inquisitive cat, leaning forward ever so slightly in anticipation of what I was to say next. "It must sound so foolish to you - being so distraught over someone not responding for a mere week. It's just that….it has been _so_ long since I have seen this person, and it just _hurts_ thinking that he no longer wants to be my par….friend. I know that my fears may seem unmerited, but we were just so _close_ for so long. Waiting is so hard and I don't know how to handle the pain." Silent tears began to stream down my face as I poured everything out. "Now that I know that he is out there, each day without a response feels like…... like a he doesn't want to see me anymore."

All of the sudden, Adrien lunged forward desperately pulling me into a compassionate embrace. His left arm wrapped around my waist while his other hand gently caressed the back of my head as he held me against his chest. He tenderly rested his head atop of mine as I became engulfed in his heavenly aroma, courtesy of L'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent - an intoxicating cologne that I had recently picked up for was exactly what I had needed. It felt so perfect to be within his arms. My heart soared while simultaneously breaking. I couldn't help but to melt against his body as I let everything go.

My tears turned into sobs as I continued on, "I can't understand why….why he won't reply. It just…..hurts. It hurts so much." My body shook violently and muffled cries erupted from deep within my chest. I couldn't hold it back anymore. All of the guilt that I had felt for not truly getting to know Chat Noir and constantly rejecting all of his advances, the regret that I now felt at never disclosing our real identities, the years of not knowing where he was or if he was safe, the emptiness that I now felt at his continued and seemingly purposeful absence from my life - it was all there. All of it was now pouring itself out as I leaned entirely upon Adrien trusting him not to let me fall.

Adrien tightened his hold around me as he clenched his fist into my disheveled hair in a passionate, nearly desperate manner. "Your friend is an idiot," his voice shook as he breathed into my ear sending chills down my spine. "He is an idiot for not realizing how much he was hurting you."

I could barely breathe. Adrien spoke with such raw emotion that it nearly broke my uncontrollably fast beating heart. There was a pain and sadness within his voice that I just could not comprehend. Of course he would care that I was hurting, but this seemed like… like something _more._ It was almost as if there were some sort of guilt that was lingering within his words. However, this had nothing to _do_ with him.

"I'm sure he wasn't intentionally trying to cause you so much pain," Adrien continued as he loosened his grip on my hair, "maybe he was just…. just unsure of how to continue to communicate." His voice was so soft and gentle that it seemed as if he were talking more to himself than he was to me. "If it really has been that long, maybe he was just confused. Maybe he thought it would be better to just leave things as they were and that it would be easier that way."

My mind was going crazy with Adrien's words. I wondered how he could be so insightful as to what Chat Noir could possibly be thinking. It was almost as if he had experienced a situation exactly like this. It was almost as if he himself were Chat Noir. But that would be too convenient; it would be too easy. There was just no way that my long time partner was sitting here with me right now. If that were so, then he surely would have confessed to me by now who he really was now that he knew that I had been the one to send the letters. Adrien was just Adrien - my sweet, loving, and kind Adrien.

Adrien backed away, removing his hand from my head and instead rested it to my cheek, his fingers delicately intertwining themselves in my hair. A single tear tried to make its descent down my face, but was quickly wiped away. As we locked our gazes, I could see Adrien's serene eyes as they projected an oxymoronic sense of fragility and strength. His face was relaxed but saddened; his breaths were deep yet ragged. And even though he was trying to comfort _me_ , I felt as if _he_ was the one who needed to be consoled.

A half-hearted smile formed at the edges of his mouth as he tenderly wrapped both of his hands around mine. "But maybe…. maybe easier doesn't always mean better. Please don't give up on him, Mari. Even the biggest idiot in the world would eventually realize how stupid he was being for losing _you_."

My heart tossed and turned uncontrollably within my chest. Adrien was everything that I dreamed that he would be. He was kind. He was gentle. He was loving. Adrien knew exactly what to say to calm my stirring heart. I knew I could tell him anything. I could tell him everything. Even if he knew all my secrets, he would still look at me with those gentle eyes. Adrien would never judge me for what I had done, for who I was, or for what I had hidden. He would be there for me - through thick and thin.

New emotions erupted within me as I began to fall in love with Adrien all over again. It was just like it was on that first day with the umbrella. However, this time I knew that we were on this journey together. Adrien _did_ care for me just as much as I cared for him. His words made that absolutely clear. We were falling so desperately towards one another as the love between us was beginning to take root. Nothing else mattered. Adrien had, once again, stolen my heart. All I wanted was get as close to him as I possibly could. I wanted to feel my fingertips as they glided through his now messy blonde hair. I wanted to experience the warmth of his lips pressed against mine. Most of all, I wanted the sensation of his love and comfort to never go away.

Without even thinking, I leaped towards Adrien wrapping my arms around him and burying my face once again into his welcoming chest. After a moment of shock from the sudden change in position, Adrien returned the embrace, resting his head upon mine.

"He _will_ respond," Adrien purred, hurdling my thoughts back onto Chat Noir."I just _know_ he will," he promised while squeezing his arms around me in a reassuring gesture. And for some reason, even though I knew that there was no way that he could be certain, I believed him. Chat Noir _would_ respond, and even if, by some chance, he didn't, I was beginning to believe that it would be okay.


	16. Chapter 16: The Apprentice

**Clarisa: I swear, one of these days I will get you in as a beta reader** ** _before_** **the chapter is published. You have got to remove me from your spam list. I sent you this chapter from two separate e-mail accounts. Even though you did not get to Beta, I did use a lot of your suggestions from your last review. (I hate waiting on reviews, though, because they always take three to four days to actually show up).**

 **Everyone else: I have heard your concerns. I actually completely rewrote chapter sixteen after reading all of my reviews to help it fall in line better with the characters. I would love to fill in all the time hops, but the reality is, I actually have to finish this story someday. I promise I will go back to resolve anything that has been left open, but we have got to get those letters moving again! It has been seven chapters since there has been a single letter. I love your feedback and keep it coming. I can only improve my writing and my story by hearing from reader/writers like you!**

 **I would like to thank my beta readers who have helped me on the past few chapters. They have been my motivation and my guide. I couldn't have brought this chapter without their help.**

 **Chapter 16: The Apprentice**

My thoughts were spiraling out of control as Marinette nuzzled deeper into my chest. Despite my words to Marinette, I was still concerned, although for a different reason. I had tried to keep my mind on Marinette, but every detail she gave sent daggers into my heart- what could I be doing to Ladybug? Ladybug could possibly be feeling this same hurt… this same same confusion as Marinette was right now. My heart was breaking at the thought that I could be causing _My_ Lady so much pain. I had been so focused on my _own_ need to keep all of my attention pointed towards Marinette, that I had neglected to take _Ladybug's_ feelings into account.

I had been desperate to find out when Marinette had last made contact with her friend hoping that her answer would ease my mind. If it had been months, then there would have been hope that I hadn't hurt My Lady yet, but it had only been a mere week just as it had been with Ladybug. I felt so foolish and selfish for not responding. Ladybug should _not_ have to suffer because of my own insecurities. Our friendship was deeper than that. It _deserved_ more than that.

However, a week really was _not_ that long of a time. Ladybug and I had gone years without speaking to one another, and from the sounds of it, the same could be said about Marinette and _her_ friend. We hadn't even set up a schedule for responding to each other. There was no way for me to know how long her first letter had been waiting, and there was no way for her to know exactly when I had replied. In fact, I didn't even know if _she_ had even responded to _my_ letter. Thinking of it in those regards, there was no reason for Ladybug, or myself, to be worried. Her faith in her partner would surely be stronger than that. Although I hated to bring Marinette back to it when she seemed to have finally relaxed, I had to try to confirm something, if not for her then for myself

I leaned away from Marinette so that I could look into her cerulean eyes which had been brightened by her dwindling tears. "Mari, did your last response from your friend indicate at all that he no longer wanted to speak with you?"

Marinette's shoulders slumped as she exhaled audibly and averted her gaze to my chest. "Well…...no," she sheepishly replied. This was a good start. Maybe I could convince her that her fears were unmerited.

"Did you set up some sort of schedule or timeline in which either of you were to respond?" Marinette simply shook her head no. "Do you know how busy he is? Do you think he has had a sufficient chance to get back to you?"

Marinette's entire body seemed to stiffen, "I knew that he had been nearby, and when I saw that he hadn't responded, I just assumed that he chosen not to. It should have been easy for him to have replied."

At this point, I almost felt as if I were attacking Marinette with my questions. I was supposed to be soothing her, and reassuring her that everything would be alright, but instead, I was being nearly abrasive. Even though I knew that I was potentially going over the line, I couldn't stop myself. My jaw clenched and my body shook at the thought that Marinette could even fathom that such a dear friend would simply, outrageously, abandon her.

I removed my hands from their respite on her waist placing them, perhaps more firmly than I should have, upon her shoulders. "How do you think he would feel if he knew how quickly you were giving up on him?"

"I-I never thought about it that way," she murmured while her eyes burned a hole through my chest. I should have stopped there, but I couldn't.

"Don't you think that if you two were really that close then he deserves more than a week to get his thoughts together?" My fingers caressed the bottom of her chin as I brought her eyes back up to look at mine. I softened my voice, speaking in a tender nearly pleading voice, "Shouldn't your friendship be stronger than that?"

My voice cracked on those last words. This was hitting too close to home. For some reason, Marinette's doubts had begun to feel like a personal kick in the gut. I had been in _love_ with Ladybug. Surely she knew that. Surely she knew I would never do anything to hurt her, let alone _abandon_ her. But why did I keep placing Marinette's thoughts as if they were Ladybugs? I shouldn't feel upset, because their thoughts wouldn't be the same. They _weren't_ the same person. They _couldn't_ be the same person. Because right now, if Marinette were to be Ladybug, and these were Ladybug's true thoughts….then that would just hurt, too much.

Marinette reached her hand up to ruffle my hair sending an instant tingling sensation down my spine. "You're right," she smiled as freshly formed tears glistened in her eyes. "I'm being stupid and jumping to conclusions. I'm letting my emotions cloud my judgement without giving a single reasonable thought as to why he hasn't replied yet. A lot has happened this past week and I guess I'm just not handling it well. Thank you, Adrien, for giving me some perspective. I needed that."

Her nimble fingers now danced through my hair as she euphorically massaged my entire head. If I had been transformed, I may have unwillingly let out a contented purr. No one had rubbed my head since my mother, and I had only been a child then. I would often find myself curling up, nestled within her lap just so I could feel her fingers explore the tangled jungle that thrived upon my head. Without even thinking or realizing what I was doing, I shifted my bottom away from Marinette and then lay down placing my head right on her lap. She giggled and then tenderly resumed stroking my scalp with both of her hands. My head was a sandy shoreline. Marinette's hands were the waves that crashed up it, constantly in motion, striving to smooth the once rugged grains of sand of the ever changing shores.

"You don't have to rush into things, Marinette," I grinned from her lap. "Just relax and let things happen naturally. _You_ taught me that, remember? It's always better to take your time and evaluate things for what they really are."

"For example," I continued on while reaching up to rest my hand on the side of her face, "I know that there is something else that is really bothering you, but you don't have to tell me right now. In fact, I _don't_ want you to tell me right now, because I know that if it is important enough, then you will tell me when the time is right. Don't _ever_ feel bad for waiting for the right moment to tell me something." I had my own secrets that I was not ready to tell and she shouldn't feel like she _had_ to tell me hers.

"A-Adrien," Marinette said, voice thick with emotion as she cupped one of her hands on my cheek, just as I had done to her, leaving the other frozen and tangled within my hair. "You don't know how much that means to me."

"No problems, princess," I smirked while taking her hand and placing it back onto my head. "Speaking of rushing into things…..do you know _who_ is taking his sweet dear old time?" She shook her head as if she didn't know, so I continued, "Nino! That's who! How _do_ you suppose he will propose to Alya anyway?"

Marinette gave my hair one last big tussle and then bopped me on the nose. "Well, I already know," she boasted with a toothy grin, "but I would _love_ to hear your theories as you walk me home." She shifted over so that my head fell flat against the couch. "Come on. Get up you lazy feline. I feel like I have been sitting here petting a cat."

If only she knew... "Hmmm….you seemed _purrrfectly_ happy petting said cat in the moment," I said with the cheesiest grin I could muster. "If I didn't know any better, I would think that you were starting to become quite fond of me. Wouldn't _mew_ agree?"

All of the sudden, my face was met with stifling darkness as it was completely covered by an annoyed pillow. "Oh. My. Gosh!" Marinette groaned. "That was bad even for Chat Noir's standards." I was glad that my face had been covered in that moment due to the fact that it surely would have betrayed me showcasing the fact that I had been shocked, yet somehow elated, to hear the name of my alter ego. Mere moments later, thankfully after I had regained my composure, she moved the pillow and hurriedly pulled me to my feet nearly making me fall to the ground. "Come on, it's already dark. Let's get going."

Before I could even truly regain my balance, Marinette began to run, yanking me across the barren, slick hardwood floor. I stumbled like a drunken cowboy until I decided that I couldn't take it anymore. "Hold on little Lady," I huffed in a terrible country accent. "Can't you _paws_ for just a second so a man can regain his balance and walk with dignity?"

Stopping dead in her tracks and nearly causing me to run into her, Mari turned to face me speaking in a exasperated tone, "Please don't tell me that you just tried to use another pun…."

I just shrugged with my palms facing the sky. "What can I say? Chat Noir is my idol. I can only strive to have puns as _pawesome_ as his someday."

Marinette literally planted her palm smack dab in the middle of her face and turned to walk out my bedroom door. "Please stop," she commanded with such an adorable attempt at authority that I couldn't help but to rebel against it.

I quickly caught up with the brooding bluenette and locked elbows with her so that we could walk side by side down the dark, nearly dungeon-like hallway. "Awe come on Mari," I whined as I elbowed her softly in the side, "you told me to always be myself around you. This is just me being _me_. You will learn to love it someday. Now let's get on to those proposal theories shall we? How _will_ Nino _pop_ the question?"

Marinette let out a soft yet stifled chuckle. Clearly, I was already beginning to get through to her. "You _didn't_ just make a reference to the _Bubbler_ did you?"

We finally made it to the edge of the staircase at the top of the foyer where the outside flood lights dimly illuminated the vast room. This had been the very place where my father had strictly forbid Nino from throwing me a birthday party causing him to become akumatized. Of course I had to make a pun in reference to that, but Marinette didn't need her suspicions to be confirmed.

"Surely you're mistaken, my princess," I purred as I walked down one step and turned to kiss Marinette's hand as I leaned over in a low bow. "Watch your step." I then took her by the hand and carefully guided her down the stairs.

Once we made it to the bottom, Mari did a little curtsy saying, "Why thank you, Sir Knight, for guiding me down the perilous staircase. You are such the gentleman." My heart fluttered and my spirits soared at the sound of her words. Ladybug usually brushed me off anytime I tried to act chivalrous treating it as if it was merely some sort of meaningless frivolity. Having Marinette play along with my silly little games was enough to make me weak in the knees. After a few moments of staring at the spectacularly beautiful girl in front of me, I was once again taken by the hand and pulled towards the door.

"Sheesh, at this rate, I'll be lucky to make it home by sunrise," Marinette huffed. "Come on, you haven't given me a single prediction yet. And they better be pretty good to _engage_ me in a conversation."

I tripped over the threshold while simultaneously choking on my own saliva. Marinette had just made a pun. A pun! This girl was just too perfect at times. She patted me on my back as I leaned over, with my hands on my knees, in a coughing fit right outside my front door. If anyone were to ever review the security footage, they would find themselves doubled over in near hysterical laughter at this humiliating sight.

"Did you just?" I managed to squeak out in between coughing.

"Did I what?" Marinette innocently asked as she twirled gracefully around me. "Make a joke? I can _be_ funny Mr. Apprentice of the puns. The difference is, I just don't overuse my material."

I straightened up catching Marinette mid twirl dipping her backwards as if we were performing some sort of ballroom dance. "Apprentice huh? So I am assuming that Mr. Chat Noir is the master, then?" My face was only a few inches from hers as I held her, frozen, still caught in a dip within in my arms. The flood lights made it easy to see the blush that spread across her face as she simply shook her head in agreement to my previous question. For some reason, I desperately wanted to lean forward to close the seemingly impenetrable distance between our lips. My heart hammered against my chest and my breathing became more ragged and uneven.

"Challenge accepted," I smirked, somewhat shakily, while raising Marinette and spinning her around a few times before stopping her in a gentle embrace. "One day I will surpass the master in my quest for _unfurgettable_ puns, but until that day arrives, you will just have to endure my second rate jokes." I then bopped her on the nose, just as she had done earlier to me, and took her by the hand leading her towards the front gate. "Now, don't _stray_ too far from me little lady," I sung once again falling back into my _endearing_ Texan accent, which was terrible seeing as how I was speaking French, "and let us waltz endlessly into the night."


	17. Chapter 17: The Boyfriend

"Okay!" Adrien nearly shouted as we casually walked hand in hand down the Parisian streets. "Picture this! Nino comes in riding on an elephant and then slides down its trunk landing in a kneeling position, on one knee of course, and pops the question. Alya will have no choice but to say yes with an entrance like that."

I glanced over to see Adrien grinning from ear to ear, clearly pleased with this ridiculous theory that he had concocted. Before I could even muster up a response, he began to giddily bounce up and down while quickly, yet passionately blurting out his next idea. "Oh, I know! Nino will somehow convince the zookeepers to lock him and Alya inside of that cage again, or maybe he will set up some sort of dance party in the zoo in which he is the DJ."

I couldn't help but to giggle. Adrien looked so cute when he got all worked up about something. I never imagined that his theories would be so goofy, but it was a nice change of pace from the serious tone that covered the earlier conversations of the evening. His eyes sparkled with a mischievous joy that I felt like I had seen somewhere else before. I never remembered seeing this look on Adrien, and I couldn't quite place why it seemed so familiar.

"You're hopeless," I sighed giving Adrien a slight squeeze of the hand. "Is this seriously what you think a proposal should look like? The idea is to woo the girl, not to scare her away."

In an instant, I was yanked to the side and engulfed into Adrien's arms. He leaned forward touching his forehead to mine sending an immediate surge of heat running through my body. "You mean like this?" he whispered as my knees turned into gelatin. Adrien could be such a dork at times, but he had this fascinating, nearly irresistible, ability to immediately turn on the charm. However, just as quickly as it began, the moment ended with Adrien releasing me from his grasp and resuming his position next to me leaving me short of breath and completely flustered.

"Oh. My. Goodness!" A shrill voice from behind us began. I turned around to see a wide eyed Chloe standing next to a lanky brown haired, green eyed boy. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste. A couple?" I could feel my face heat up as Adrien pulled me closer wrapping his arm around my waist. This was it. Chloe was going to explode. Any resemblance of a friendship that we had begun to form would simply be wiped away.

The blonde girl's eyes lit up as she came bounding towards me, grabbing on to both of my hands and excitedly jumping up and down. "Marinette! Why didn't you tell me about this? This is great! You two make a perfect couple!"

I couldn't believe my ears. Chloe Bourgeois, Adrien's biggest fan girl in high school, the one who had vowed that she would marry him someday, was actually complementing the fact that he was with another girl. Not only was Adrien with another girl, but she was Chloe's worst enemy in high school. Now, I knew that Chloe had changed, but this one definitely took the cake.

The ecstatic girl then let go of one of my hands to wave forward the confused looking boy that she had left standing all alone. He obliged, quickly stepping forward to place his arm around Chloe's waist in an exact imitation of how Adrien's arm was wrapped around mine. He was about a head taller than Chloe, and he had a small bit of facial hair extending, underneath his chin, from one ear to the other. He was quite scrawny but sported a nice looking tan. He wore a pair of tight fitting skinny jeans with converse shoes and a baggy long sleeved burgundy T-shirt.

"Willy," Chloe nearly shouted with excitement, "I would like for you to meet Marinette, the girl who saved me."

The world became silent as I could feel my heart drop to the pit of my stomach. Chloe had just spilled the beans to Adrien about my daring act of heroism that I had inconveniently failed to mention to him. I had convinced myself that I had not told him because it had _not_ been my story to tell. However, deep down I knew that simply was not true. There were two reasons that I had chosen to keep this little event from Adrien. One, I did not want to say anything that would lead him anywhere near the truth that I am actually Ladybug, and two, I did not want to be reminded of the guilt that I had felt for not helping out Chloe more. Instead of waiting for Chloe to call _me_ , I should have reached out to her to see how see was doing. To my own regret, I left her to recover completely on her own while I brooded over my own problems. She seemed to be fine now, but there was no way that I could have known that earlier in the week. I had been selfish, and now Adrien was going to find out the truth from someone other than myself.

I glanced over to observe Adrien's reaction, but was surprised to see that there was no look of shock or any sign of confusion on his face. I found this strange, but decided that maybe Chloe hadn't said enough for him to realize exactly what she had meant. I hoped that she wouldn't say more, yet I knew that there was no way that Chloe would keep her mouth closed.

As if right on cue, Chloe began to speak, inadvertently causing knots to form in my stomach, "Adrien, what did you think when your girlfriend told you that she took down five grown men all by herself? I mean…. it was just like Ladybug had returned and decided to saved the day once again. In fact, before I got a good look at Marinette in the bakery, I thought that it _had_ been Ladybug who had saved me."

A chill breeze seeped its way through the sleeves of my hoodie causing my entire body to shake from the cold. I shuddered at what Adrien would think of me for keeping this from him, and the effects that it could have on his perception of who I was. I wondered if he would start putting the pieces together that I was _actually_ Ladybug. That thought terrified me, but at the same time, it was oddly comforting. If Adrien figured out my secret on his own, then I wouldn't have to worry about figuring out how to tell him myself. I wanted Adrien to get to know _all_ of me, and if that goal ever were to be fully reached, then wouldn't that mean that he would _have_ to figure out I was Ladybug? Would there really be any way for him to truly know who I am without figuring it out? In fact, if he did end up figuring it out on his own, then that would mean that he actually knew me well enough to see all parts of me. That was what I wanted….. right?

Adrien gently pulled me closer to his side while squeezing on to my waist as if I were some sort of cherished prize. The sudden movement brought my attention back to his face. His soft and understanding eyes were focused directly upon me immediately filling my spirit with a sense of ease. A playful grin formed at the edges of his lips as he gave me a secretive wink and then turned towards Chloe to respond.

"You know Marinette, always thinking of others. She probably didn't even realize the danger she was getting into. I'm just glad that everything turned out alright."

My eyes remained transfixed on Adrien's gaze as I stood frozen, with the inability to batter a single eyelid. He had decided to play along. Just like that. Pretending as if he already knew about everything that had went on. If he had been worried or confused, then he surely hid it well. If I _hadn't_ known any better, then even _I_ would have thought that he had known exactly what Chloe was talking about. But that wasn't possible. The only other person who could have possibly known about what had happened that night would have been Chat Noir. All those years of learning how to act for the many advertisements that Adrien starred in, must have payed off.

Just then, the rumbling sound of distant thunder alerted us to the fact that the rain was about to return. "Hey guys," Willy started, tearing both Chloe's and my attention away from Adrien. "I can see that you want to catch up and all, but I don't think that this is the best place for that. Let's go back to the coffee shop and hang out for a while."

Fortunately, the quaint little bistro was only about a block away. Just as we walked in, an angry downpour began to lash out against the windows seething at the fact that it had just missed out on enveloping its prey. The long, narrow room was dimly lit with comfortable looking couches and lounge chairs spread throughout it. On the left side of the room, a well weathered wooden counter stood waiting for its next customer. A tired looking barista girl with dark hair and a messy bun, casually waved to us and then went back to reading her novel with its bent pages and broken spine.

Just as I was beginning to scope out a place to sit, Chloe quickly turned on her heels to face us. "Oh my gosh! I totally forgot to introduce you guys to my boyfriend," she blurted while simultaneously going a bit red in the face. "So I think we have made it pretty clear who Marinette is." The boys nodded in agreement with her words. "Willy, this is Adrien Agreste," Chloe added while placing her hand on the golden haired boy's shoulder, "the son of famous fashion designer Gabriel Agreste. We were _like_ best friends growing up."

A loud thunk quickly followed Chloe's introduction, making me turn around, startl novel the barista was reading had fallen. She stared after Adrien, clearly alarmed, almost afraid- or was she just embarrassed? Chloe paid no attention to the girl, scooting over and draping her arm around Willy's back. "Marinette, Adrien, this is my boyfriend, Willy Martin. We met a few years back when I started working at this coffee shop."

"She was a terrible employee," Willy snickered, "at least at first. She couldn't even manage to brew a standard black coffee, her customer service skills were deplorable at best, and she even expected to get paid when she hadn't lifted a single finger."

"That sounds like Chloe," Adrien stated while nodding his head. "So _how_ did you two end up together?"

"Save that thought," Chloe said and then pointed towards some chairs by the fireplace in the back corner. "You guys go ahead and make yourselves comfortable; I am going to get us all some drinks. I will answer all of your questions when I get back."

Adrien and I decided to settle down on an old, wrinkled leather loveseat. The springs had long since lost their umph causing us to hopelessly sink towards one another. Adrien wrapped his arm around my waist as I nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck with my knees folded to the side on the cushions. We intertwined the fingers of our outside arms placing them on Adrien's lap.

Willy took this time to tell us a little bit about himself. We learned that he is currently attending the same college as Chloe, where they are both having to pay their own way through. He told us that he is studying to become a meteorologist, and that Chloe wanted to get into business management. Just as Willy was about to tell us about his family, Chloe returned with a tray full of steaming hot, frothy cappuccinos.

Adrien and I had to abandon our snuggled up position, so that we could properly sip on our joe. Clumsy as usual, I forgot the coffee was hot and I sipped too soon leaving my tongue sore and blistered. I decided to just hold the toasty mug between my hands, so that I could revel in the tingling sensation that I felt as the heat entered through my palms and spread throughout my entire body. Even if I couldn't take a swig of my drink, I enjoyed the earthy sweet aroma as it wafted through my nose. I looked over to see Adrien gulping his drink down as if it were a cup of ice water, feeling jealous at his clearly superior tolerance for pain.

Chloe cleared her throat and placed her mug on the coffee table between us, "The story of how Willy and I came together is a long one. I think I should pick up where I left off with Marinette on Sunday. She can fill you in on the rest of the details later, Adrien."

Adrien nodded in an acceptance of Chloe's terms and then she continued, "After I was kicked out of the hotel, I went to the only place that I could. I moved into Sabrina's apartment. Things were great at first; that is, until we started running out of food."

Chloe leaned over and took a sip of her cappuccino before continuing on, "You see, Sabrina was a full time college student and she had a part time job to pay for her rent and all of her supplies. She barely made enough money to get by on her own. Once I became a part of the equation, it turned into a big problem. I couldn't understand why she wouldn't just go to the store and buy more food. No matter how many times I complained or begged, she told me that there simply was no money left. Never in my life did I have to think about where the money for my next meal would come from, but all of a sudden it became the most important thing on my mind."

Adrien swallowed his coffee the wrong way and started coughing. It took him a few moments to regain his composure, but once he did, he decided to add to the conversation. "You know, Chloe, I can't say that I have _ever_ had to worry about where my next meal would come from. I can't even imagine how hard that would be to all of a sudden have to provide for yourself like that."

Chloe smiled, "You have no idea. Anyway, I told Sabrina that she should get another job, and I was flabbergasted when she told me that she didn't have enough _time_. Then, she had the audacity to ask me about what I was doing throughout the day. Obviously, I was in mourning, but she just didn't seem to understand that."

I couldn't help but to let out a stifled little giggle. I tried to hold it in, but those last few lines just did me in. That sounded so much like the Chloe that I had known that it was nearly comical. She had always expected everyone to just forget about their own needs and to accommodate her. It was almost as if she couldn't even she the hardships that others were going through. It had always been all about her. Looking back at how ridiculous she had been, it was quite funny.

Chloe ignored my muffled laughter and trucked right along with her story, "Then, to top it all off, Sabrina told me that I had to get a job or get out of her apartment. Therefore, I immediately began my search for another place to live. I was going to pack my bags but I realized that I didn't actually _own_ anything. The only clothing that I had been able to wear actually belonged to Sabrina. I thought about taking a suitcase full of her things, but never _actually_ found another place to go. Besides Adrien, Sabrina had been my only friend, and Adrien was all the way in China."

The room became silent besides the soft popping and crackling of the fire, as Chloe took another sip of her cappuccino. My drink had finally cooled enough to partake in a long comforting swing as my tastebuds danced to the sweetness of the delectable mocha. Everyone stared into the fireplace, casually sipping from their mugs, while contemplating everything that Chloe had just said. I found myself sinking back to rest upon Adrien as my body and mind rejuvenated in front of that welcoming flame. However, my revery was quickly stunted as Chloe sighed and began again.

"Finally, I knew that I was out of options. Reluctantly, I walked out the door, came upon the first place that had a hiring sign, and got my first job. That was when I met Willy, my manager. He already told you how that all started. Let's just say that after a while my attitude changed and I actually became a good worker. Once Willy realized how awesome I was, it didn't take long for him to ask me out."

Willy got up from his chair and walked over to where Chloe was sitting to stand directly behind her. He leaned forward, placing a kiss on the top of her head and then looked over to me and straight into my eyes. "I usually walk Chloe home, but last week I was sick. Thank you, Marinette, for being there to help her out."

At those words, everything fell into place and my respect for Willy grew. He had been the one that she had been so worried about when she had left my house to deliver him lunch. He had been the one who Chloe would have wanted to impress when she first got her job. She had wanted to impress him enough to even change her own attitude and behavior towards the world. Willy was the person who we should thank for helping change Chloe from a bully to a friend.

Suddenly, Adrien shifted me over, so that I was no longer leaning on him in order for him to stand. He glided over to Willy and then placed his hand on the gangly boy's shoulder. "I can always walk Chloe home anytime you're unavailable, Willy. It's the least I can do for a friend."

As I watched this _lovely_ bonding interaction, my attention was drawn away by the fidgeting girl that was standing against the counter straight behind the two boys. Once again, her gaze was aimed directly at Adrien. However, this time she did not look shocked or even perplexed. Instead, her intense glare housed a cautious, nearly longing desire.I had seen many adoring fans throughout my years of knowing Adrien, and this girl seemed anything _but_ adoring. Impulsively, or maybe instinctively, I'm not entirely sure, I jumped out of my seat closing the gap between Adrien and me with one swift stride placing myself smack dab between him and the barista girl. Her gaze soured as our eyes met. Even though it was only for only a brief moment, my message was clear. _Stay away from Adrien Agreste_.


	18. Chapter 18: The Reply

"Did that barista girl seem a little bit off to you?" Marinette blurted as soon as the door to the coffee shop closed behind them. She had kept her mouth shut about the strange girl's behavior as long as she could, allowing the couples time to say their farewells, but this information burned at the edges of her lips, just waiting for a chance to make its escape. It was a fully loaded spring, set and cocked, and ready to be released. There was just something about that girl that Marinette needed to share. A feeling of unease. A foreshadowing of fear.

Adrien's arm wrapped around Marinette, pulling her in safely, closely spreading his warmth as they walked side by side. The rain had only recently finished leaving everything wet and the air uncharacteristically cold. The moon and the stars were shrouded by the lingering clouds making Marinette thankful for the lamp posts that guided their path.

"She just seemed a little starstruck, I suppose," Adrien hummed, tightening his grip around Marinette. "I'm used to that kind of thing, but I guess it would seem odd to you. Did she appear to be _faaan_ tasising about me?"

"Did you really just? Ugh." Marinette groaned, rolling her eyes. He wasn't taking this seriously. "No. I mean yes. I mean I don't know!" her hands flew into the air in exasperation. "Her staring just made me feel uncomfortable, okay? Whatever she was fantasising about didn't seem as if was completely innocent, and as soon as I stepped between the two of you, I could have sworn that she gave me the death glare."

"Of course she would give you a hateful stare," Adrien agreed whilst pulling Marinette flush against his chest with the arm that was already at her waist, placing his other hand beneath her chin. Shivers of delight trickled down her spine as she melted within Adrien's arms.

"What else is a hopelessly in _love_ fangirl supposed to do when she discovers that the model of her dreams is with another, breathtakingly beautiful, woman? I'm sure she was just jealous of you, Mari. Don't worry about it. Without a doubt, we will run into plenty of other girls with the same problem." A mischievous grin spread across his face as his hand wandered up the side of Marinette's face. "Just let me know if they ever make you feel bad and I will be sure to make _them_ the ones who are feeling uncomfortable."

Marinette stood erect, cheeks burning, as embarrassing and flustering images flittered through her mind. She imagined a hoard of heartbroken teenagers sobbing at the sight of Adrien brushing a strand of hair out of her face whilst pulling her intimately close and whispering something incredibly cheesy within her ear. Pulling herself from her wild imaginings, she had to admit, that even though she had seen plenty of his admirers, she had never been as openly close with him as she had been in the coffee shop. That poor barista girl got to witness first hand her beloved Adrien Agreste cuddling another girl for the better part of an hour. Come to think of it, if Marinette had been forced to watch something like that back when she had been crushing on Adrien, she wasn't so sure that her reaction would have been very different.

With a faint smile, Marinette reached her hand up to ruffle Adrien's hair gently responding, "I guess you're right. I'm sure that I was just reading too much into things." Then, with a newfound sparkle in her eye and a smirk planted across her face she expertly changed the topic by asking, "By the way, you _don't_ have any plans for tomorrow, do you? I could really use your help with something."

()

As Adrien left the bakery, he knew exactly what he had to do. Even though it was already midnight, he was too worked up to even think about sleep. He had made a promise that he would reply to Ladybug's letter, and he knew that he wouldn't be able to get any rest until he did.

Adrien bounced down the street, slipping into a narrow alleyway in which he could transform. As he extended his baton, making his way on the rooftops of Paris, he couldn't help but think about all of the times he had travelled this very path, towards the Eiffel Tower, with his Lady. His heart cinched and a vast emptiness began to fill his chest as he pictured the black spotted heroine swinging from building to building ahead of him. As soon as these long forgotten emotions took hold on his body, he froze. What was he thinking? His heart undoubtedly belonged to Marinette, but all of the sudden, he had this intense urge to see his beloved lady again.

After seeing how distraught Marinette had been over her long absence from her friend, a small part deep within the back of his mind had been thinking about how much he missed Lady. Now, as if a floodgate had been opened, memories of his Lady washed through every crevice of his mind. Her smile. Her bluebell eyes. The grace and confidence in which she fought every akuma. The late nights spent talking about nothing, which he loved. Adrien had tried to suppress these memories for years, but now they all came crashing down on him in a relentless and unforgiving wave of joy, sorrow, excitement, and love. Yes, Adrien had loved Ladybug, and no matter how much he tried to deny it, he knew that a part of him always would.

The lie that he had carefully sculpted for himself shattered around him. _He_ did still care for his Lady and he desperately longed to be with her again. After years of nothing happening, he knew nothing romantic would come out of it. He could settle with being her best friend. She had known him better than anyone else had, after all. She had seen a piece of him that no one else ever had. Even though some of that was beginning to shine through in his current persona, it wasn't quite the same. She had accepted the dorky, pun loving side of him without seeing him as Adrien. She had seen many of his flaws and been there to comfort him many a night when he felt like no one cared about him at all. He couldn't just throw that all away for fear of what it would do to his relationship with Marinette. He had to trust himself more. If not for is own sake, then for Ladybug's

The chill midnight air nipped through the thin leather that hugged closely around him making him shiver while simultaneously trying to shake all the thoughts out of his head. With the push of a single button on his staff, Chat Noir was once again vaulting through the streets of Paris towards the abandoned meeting spot. With the tiny little box within his hands, there was nothing left within him to keep him from reading that letter. Impatiently, he flung the lid open and pulled out the carefully folded piece of paper, quickly straightening it out so that he could absorb everything that his lady had said.

 _Chat,_

 _It's weird thinking of you as anyone other than Chat Noir. I guess I never really knew you at all did I? I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry for never really trying to get know you. That was a mistake._

 _I'm glad to know that I can talk to you now. That makes me really happy._

 _Thanks for responding,_

 _LB_

Bursting in a nearly uncontrollable fit of laughter, Adrien sat, legged splayed unbecomingly off the side of the beam, staring incredulously at the slumbering city below. He'd just thought that Ladybug knew him better than anyone, but she thought she didn't know him at all. Of course, the one person he believed knew him more than anyone actually knew him less. Sure she saw his carefree and more rebellious side, but she never knew Adrien Agreste. No matter how much he wanted to believe that his Adrien side had only been a charade, that part of him was still an important piece to the whole. No wonder his lady had never fallen in love with him. How could she fall in love with a boy that she could only see half of who he really was?

At that moment, with his heart beating determinedly within his chest, Adrien decided, unwaveringly, that he was going to change that. He would allow Ladybug to get to see the _real_ him through his letters, and he hoped that maybe just maybe she would share a little bit more about who _she_ was. Adrien didn't really care if he ever discovered who his partner was, but if in getting to know more about each other lead them into accidentally learning of their secret identities, then he wasn't so sure that would be a bad thing. It most certainly would be easier to speak to her in person, without a mask, rather than relying on simply passing notes. However, this was currently his only option, and he had waited long enough to reply.

Landing safely within the confines of room, Adrien de-transformed, tossing Plagg a wheel of cheese. Without a moment to waste, he picked up his pen while quickly getting to work writing his response. After several drafts and hours without sleep, Adrien finally straightened up in his desk chair, looking at his letter with a contented sigh reading through it one last time.

"It's about time," Plagg sat up groggily moaning, being woken up by the sudden movement of his chosen. "Are you going to put that letter where it belongs or just stare at it all night?"

Sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck and deciding not to address those subjects, Adrien simply replied, "Plagg, claws out."

()

Meanwhile, a young bluenette shifted restlessly beneath the weight of her stifling covers. Marinette had tried desperately for the last few hours to fall asleep, but no matter how hard she tried, she could not get the events of the evening out of her head. Before she and Adrien had left the coffee shop, his entire body had abruptly shivered while he simultaneously had scrunched up his nose. At first, Marinette had believed that this strange response must of had something to do with that brown haired girl, but he had insisted that he hadn't found her behavior odd at all. Now, she could only ponder what had instigated such a reaction in an attempt to mute out something else that she had been frantically trying to forget about. Marinette just could not get her feline partner out of her mind, no matter how much effort she put into it. Adrien's promise that Chat Noir would inevitably respond filled her heart with hope, ceaselessly pulling her towards the Eiffel Tower.

She knew that she should sleep, that a letter wouldn't just appear over the course of one night, but her desire was relentless and unfaltering. Marinette finally gave in throwing off her covers, knowing that she wouldn't be able to get a wink of sleep until she had looked for that letter one more time.

"I'm sorry, Tikki," Marinette breathed in a mere whisper, gently cradling her sleeping Kwami within the palms of her hands. "I hate to wake you, but I just can't get that stupid cat out of my head. I hope you can forgive me."

The blue eyed girl smiled, placing a small tender kiss on the forehead of her peacefully slumbering friend while slowly and quietly saying, "Tikki, spots on."

In a flash of pink, the resting little deity was absorbed into the petite girl's earrings transforming her into the long missed bug themed heroine. Ladybug quickly dashed out of her skylight, greeted by the crisp, cold air biting at her cheeks. She ignored the cold as best she could as she extended her yoyo catapulting herself towards a small, silver box.

She nearly dropped her prize as her eyes were caught staring, transfixed upon the sight of a black, leather clad figure hastily retreating in the distance. Marinette's heart clenched and her breathing faltered as she watched her former partner getting further and further away from her. This was it. This was her chance to get to talk to Chat Noir face to face once again. She would get to see the goofy grin that had never failed to bring a smile on her own face. She would get to hear his boisterous, nearly contagious laugh. But most of all, she would get a chance to know more about the man who was underneath the mask.

At that thought, Marinette's stomach churned as images of Adrien filled her mind. These past few weeks with him was bringing back to surface all of the feelings that she had tried bury after they had parted ways a few years before. However, during that time of hibernation, those feelings had gained a chance to intensify, multiply, and even metamorphosize. She knew that she had barely scratched the surface into the excavation of these hidden emotions, and the implications of why terrified her.

Marinette knew that something was holding her back with Adrien, and her fourteen year self would absolutely kick her in the rear end for it. Had she have been given this chance four years ago, she would have dived in head first, but now she was being reserved...cautious. It wasn't that she hadn't allowed Adrien into her heart, because she most certainly had. Her stomach fluttered with joy and nervousness just at the mere thought of his face, or even the mention of his name. The problem stemmed from the fact that she hadn't allowed Adrien to fill her whole heart. At first she had convinced herself that this was because she did not know him well enough to let her emotions take over, and even though that was certainly partly true, Marinette knew that deep inside there was something else that was keeping her from opening up her heart in its entirety to him.

Another blonde haired, green eyed boy had been on her mind as of late. After years of spending nearly every day either fighting by his side or simply sitting and chatting on top of the Eiffel Tower, she shouldn't have been surprised to discover that a small piece of her heart would always belong to him. However, in that moment, with that simple flip of guilt lurching in her stomach, Marinette knew exactly what had been holding her back with Adrien. It had been Chat Noir. Unbeknownst to her, Chat had managed to worm his way into her heart with every single dorky pun, every smoldering look, and every instance in which he proved that their trust in each other could never waver.

Adrien had always been the sun that lit up and heated the very earth that Marinette stood upon. Just thinking about him lifted her spirits in a way that no one else ever could. However, Chat had been the moon that stabilized the axis of Marinette's world. He had been her constant companion, a satellite which had never failed to make its revolution back to her. She knew that she could depend on him, and she desperately needed him in order to succeed. Throughout the years, Marinette had come to rely on Chat Noir's presence, and without him, without the moon, her world had secretly tilted away from its usual position taking her further and further away from the sun. Only now did she realize how much his absence had truly affected her and how much of her heart longed to be with him once more. Even with the sun once again shining within her life, it felt incomplete and nearly sorrowful as its bent rays were barely able to reach her. And now, with those diminished rays of the sun, she craved for the light that shone in the darkness, never allowing her to fail, never permitting her to feel afraid.

Ignoring the sense of betrayal that her guilt ridden stomach had tried to warn her about, Marinette launched herself off of the Eiffel Tower in pursuit of the elusive hero. She wanted to speak with him. She _needed_ to speak with him. However, no matter how hard she tried or how fast she went, the leather clad figure continued to retreat ever more out of her reach. Continuing her journey, even when her target had long since vanished, Ladybug couldn't help but to silently scream. This was just like her dream. Her worst nightmare had just become her reality. For what seemed like hours but was only in reality a matter of minutes, Ladybug desperately, longingly remained searching the streets of Paris for her friend. But it was all for naught. He was nowhere to be seen.

With a lump in her throat and a nauseated stomach, Marinette finally made her way back to the tower. She had lost him. Again. As the weight of the importance that he had held in her life came crashing on her shoulders, all she could do was sit and cry. She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her face in them. She needed to be with with Chat Noir just as a tree needs roots in which to stand. He was her protector, the person she could trust with her life itself, and above all, one of her closest friends. Marinette knew that Adrien should have been enough. Gah, how she wanted him to be enough. But the simple fact of the matter was that he wasn't. Adrien. Wasn't. Enough. He was the sun. He had always been the sun. Warm. Bright. But ever unattainable. Even though the sun was trying to shine directly on her, it was useless. The moon was gone. Her world tilted uncontrollably, leaving her cold, trapped in an everlasting winter, without any hope of the return of the seasons. Her whole body trembled as she sobbed uncontrollably, this time with no comforting arms or a gentle smile to ease the pain.

()

Adrien should have gone home. He was exhausted. It had been nearly three O'clock in the morning when he had placed his letter, but he couldn't bring himself to return to the dark solitude of his cavernous bedroom. No matter how hard he tried, he could not push the thoughts of his lady out of his head. After years of denying just how much he missed her, how much he needed her in his life, the sudden realization of just how wrong he had been was nearly suffocating.

Ladybug had been the sustenance on which his very being had been able to thrive. When everything else in his life seemed to be falling apart. When he had felt as if there was no in the world who could truly love him, she had always been there. One look at her would fix any hurt, would ease any doubt, and would calm any rage that he had brewing inside of him.

Many times when his father had not allowed him out of the house so that he could spend more time practicing the piano, Ladybug had been the only companion that he had been able to see. Truth be told, Adrien had never grown as close to his friends as he would have liked due to the sheer fact that he had missed out on almost every single outing that they had invited him to.

With a shudder and a chill running down his spine, Adrien remembered something else that his constant absences had provoked, only now realising how much of his own fault it truly was. Marinette had garnered a crush for him since they had first met. However, due to his own obliviousness and lack of a chance to actually spend time with her, he had been left in the dark about that. That unintentional void that Adrien had left in Marinette's heart had allowed someone else to creep his way in. Fortunately for Adrien now, things did not work out between the two of them, but donned with the knowledge that he now possessed, he looked at the situation in a completely different light.

When Adrien had been younger, he didn't care that Marinette had held a crush for another boy. In fact, he once had even tried to help set up his best friend Nino with her. But now, now that he knew that she had liked _him_ and that his own stupidity and lack of a presence in her life had sent her pining after another guy, no matter how brief, he was furious. He was furious at himself and furious at his father for making him miss out on so much. If he hadn't been so dumb, if he hadn't been so flaky on his friends, things could have turned out differently. Adrien could have been with Marinette much sooner. He could avoided the emptiness of the last four years. But alas, that was not meant to be, and there was nothing that anyone could do to change that.

So…. instead of connecting with his friends….with Marinette, Adrien had drawn himself closer to the only person that he had been able to sneak out and see. Ladybug had been his refuge from hollow life that his father had forced upon him. Ladybug had been his comfort when he was suffering from not being allowed to see his friends. Ladybug had filled his heart when no one else in his life had been willing to, or from what he now knew, able to. And now, now that Adrien had been ready to move on. Ready to allow another woman to take complete hold of his heart, he couldn't. The bond that he had formed with Ladybug was irreversible, insatiable, and much against his own desires, insufferable. The damage had been done. His heart was split in two. And Adrien hoped beyond anything that he had ever dared to hope that in rekindling his friendship with Ladybug, that it would be enough to fill that chasm that he only now knew that he had. If that chasm was filled, then he dared to dream that one day, he would be able to cross it to the other side where his love for Marinette was waiting.

He could get past this. He _would_ get past this. But first, he had to get to know his lady. Adrien had to get closer to her for himself, for Ladybug, and most importantly for Marinette. Shutting Ladybug out of his life was not the answer in growing closer to Marinette. No, that would only fill him with emptiness and regret. He would fill his heart. He would satisfy every longing that it had. That way there would no regrets and no hollow pieces. Only then, would his heart, would his _love_ be able to grow. He could see it now. He could see it so clearly. And he would stop at nothing in order to make this dream a reality.

All of these thoughts ran through his mind as he soared across the city. Only now, that his thoughts had reached a determined conclusion did he realize how far he had actually travelled. Miles. Chat Noir had vaulted for miles away from his home, and away from his worries. Adrien found himself sitting on top of tiny cottage on the outskirts of the city. It was a quaint little home with white stucco walls and a clay tiled roof. Curved arches lead into small pleasantly decorated alcoves that acted as an entryway into the house. It was apparent that guests were welcomed here, and Adrien couldn't help but to imagine the warm smiles that the accommodating hosts would supply.

Without even realizing it, Adrien pictured his own face side by side with Marinette's on the other side of those doors. He could see Alya and Nino traipsing together through the welcoming garden bending over to indulge in the scent of the intoxicating petals. Chloe and Willy would be seated together on the small wooden bench that overlooked the bubbling fountain. Marinette's parents, Sabine and Tom, would be picking grapes from the miniscule vineyard and popping them, lovingly into each others mouths. His own father would be the ringing the doorbell, alerting the happy couple inside that their guests had arrived. Then there would be laughter. The bright and innocent laughter of children as they threw open the door to be greeted by their grandfather. Gabriel would pick the boy and the girl up, twirling them around as the other guests joined him talking joyously about the evening to come.

The first slivers of pale sunlight appeared at the horizon pulling Adrien from his daydream. He knew that if he had any hope of returning unseen, that he would have to leave at this very moment. As it was, he would be lucky enough to reach his room before the birds would begin chirping signalling to everyone the dawn of a new day.

()

Long after the tears had ceased and her shoulders had relaxed, Marinette lifted her head looking over at the imposing box. Chat must have replied. That had to have been why she had seen him escaping from her the distance. With newfound, overwhelming emotions tugging at the center of her being, she had simply forgotten to check the very thing that had caused her leave her room. A small smile set comfortingly, forming at the edges of her lips as she grabbed on to that tiny box clutching it, as a mother clings to its newborn baby, against her chest. All was not lost. She could still talk to Chat through these letters. These were her lifeline. A buoy in which she could hold on to to keep from drowning. One day, she hoped that the line would be drawn in so that she could stand on the deck of that ship. That ship which was Chat. A chance to meet face to face. A chance to be held in his warm embrace. But for now she would hold on to that buoy for her own dear life. Lest it be stripped away, ever removing her from her friend, her companion, her guide.

Releasing the tightened grip that she had held on that precious little box, she finally dared to open it. Marinette's heart beat rapidly, nearly jumping out of her chest at the sight of the newly placed paper. He had replied. _Chat_ had replied! Her fingers shook in anticipation, unfolding the seemingly heavy piece of parchment. Even though it was still dark outside, the lights of the tower coupled with the first shimmering rays of dawn lightly illuminated the words on the page enough so that she could easily read them.

 _Dear Ladybug,_

 _I apologize for waiting so long to get back to you. I really have no excuse for that; I just didn't want to complicate things. I'm sorry for any inconvenience that my returning to the limelight may have caused you. It was an unintentional exposure I can assure you. You know a hero can never turn away a civilian in need._

 _The fact that you knew me as Chat Noir, means that you knew me better than anyone else. However, it is true that you knew nothing about my civilian form. You see for me, I felt as if my civilian self was more of a charade than the mask itself. If you had known me in high school, you would have known a usually quiet boy who would have never dared to make a pun. In fact, I'm quite sure that you never would have been able to figure out who I was simply by watching how I acted._

 _I feel like I'm starting to come more to terms with myself now. If for some reason, you did happen to know me outside of the suit, you might be able to pick me out due to some of my Chat like qualities starting to shine through._

Till we finally meet again,

Chat

Marinette read through the letter several more times lingering over every word as if she were trying to memorize them. Chat had been a quiet boy. Chat had been someone else entirely underneath that mask. This revelation shouldn't have come as a surprise to her; she herself had seen her civilian persona as someone entirely different than Ladybug. But she had never considered this. She had never even thought that he could be someone else outside of that mask. How could she have been so stupid? Once again, her entire world came crashing down around her.

Marinette had not seen Chat Noir for who he really was and the fact that he believed that she knew him better than anyone else ever had, utterly broke her inside. How bad must his life had to have been for him to believe that his civilian life had been a charade? How lonely must he have had to have been for him to think that she was the only one that truly knew him when she had known nothing.

A nauseating, lurching feeling crept into her stomach like an oozing, perilous fog traipsing into the night. Marinette felt sick. She felt sick for never allowing herself to truly open up to Chat Noir. He had needed a friend. He needed someone to draw close to, and all she had ever done was push him away. Marinette had allowed her crush on Adrien to keep her from developing a relationship with her partner. He had needed her, and she had shut him out. She turned down every chance that they had ever had to know each other on a deeper level and he had suffered because of it. Now they were both suffering from it.

Never again, she vowed, delicately placing that important piece of paper back into the box. Never again would she leave Chat feeling alone and like no one truly knew him. She _would_ get to know him. She would get to know who that mysterious, lonely boy, was beneath that mask and she would allow him to get to know more about her. Even if they never met. Even if they never discovered each other's civilian names. It wouldn't matter. All that mattered was that they learned about who the other person was on the inside. What made them happy. What made them sad. That would be enough.

With her head in the clouds and her heart in the sky, Marinette barely noticed just how bright the morning had truly gotten as she made her way back to her home. She didn't notice the ombre haired girl snapping a picture of her favorite superheroine carelessly swinging from building to building. And she most certainly was not awake when said girl burst into her bedroom only a few hours later with a crazy glint in her eyes and an incriminating picture on her phone.


	19. Chapter 19: Reappearance

4/14/18

The scent had been harmless.

A tiny little detail spritzed within the woven tapestry of his evening. But now, shifting around restlessly in his bed, it burned at the edges of his mind like the tickling flames, the innocent beginnings of a wildfire that cannot be contained. Anxiety-driven nearly to the point of insanity, Adrien jolted, sitting up straight, residing to the fact that an answer would be as easy to find as a speck of dust, lost upon the wind.

But it was in vain. A hollow attempt to relinquish the hold that this memory had implanted upon his mind. He had smelled this fragrance before. Long before he had caught a whiff of this scent in the coffee shop, it had brought him a sense of pain. A feeling of regret, sorrow, and even shame.

 _But what was it?_

Adrien ignored the sounds of his sleeping Kwami (who had been quite unpleased with the amount of time that he had chosen to stay transformed) as he threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up slowly. Running his fingers through his disheveled hair, he shuffled towards the bathroom whilst scolding himself for his irresponsible lack of rest. Any other time he would have gone straight back to sleep. Not this time, however.

The mid morning rays of the summer sun lit the room, blanketing it in a flood of yellow. It wouldn't be long until he would have to make his call.

With an unflattering groan and a quick slap of the cheeks, Adrien twisted the knob to the coldest setting _,_ swifty throwing himself underneath the vehemous stream. His body shivered and his eyes burst wide as the water lashed against his skin, piercing him with the remorse of a set of throwing knives. Adrenaline surged through his veins while his hands worked at lightning speed. Then, he shut off the water, managing to complete his task in record time, quickly savoring the warmth that only his oversized towel could bring.

 _Mission success._ Adrien grinned, shaking the cold droplets out of his hair like a cat caught unexpectedly clawing itself out of a stream. _I am definitely awake._

Carefully wrapping the towel around his waist, Adrien glided towards his dresser in search of the perfect outfit for the day. He realized, gulping nervously, that it had been way too long since he had actually had a chance to get his laundry clean.

In his own little corner across the room, Plagg swallowed a large piece of cheese.

"Why did I have to insist that I keep up with my own laundry?" Adrien groaned, frantically fumbling with the undesired remains at the bottom of his underwear drawer. "All of these are either too small, too worn, or too scratchy. Surely there has to be something hidden in here that I would at least _want_ to wear..."

Heartbeat pounding, Adrien froze in place, fingers trembling against the rough, wooden surface of small a hexagonal box. It was just like his own, sitting in the top drawer of his nightstand, adorned with its matching intricate red filigree. However, unlike his, this box was far from empty. Hawkmoth's miraculous had sat, for the better part of five years, untouched, unseen, in the back of Adrien's underwear drawer.

Adrien winced, memories washing through his mind as if he were a grain of sand caught up in the mighty sea. _Pain_. That was all that this tiny little item ever brought him. Pain from the absence of a father who had been so wrapped up in this miraculous' power that he neglected his own son. Pain from every akuma attack that had spread fear and malice throughout the city. Pain as its absence had caused a void making it much harder for him to see his lady. And now, here it was, resting peacefully, _innocently_ , beneath Adrien's hand.

"What ya got there?" Plagg sung flippantly, floating swiftly towards Adrien through the air. "Oooo, Hawkmoth's miraculous," he teased. "What're going to do with _that_?"

Adrien gasped, yanking his hand away from the box to nestle his fist, protectively, against his chest. Suddenly, he wanted nothing more than to turn away and run as far as he could, distancing himself, indefinitely from that ominous broach.

"N-nothing," he stammered, tripping over his feet as he slowly backed away. With a not so graceful thud, Adrien landed, head spinning, with his butt on the floor and his pride squashed beneath him.

 _That cheese loving kwami is never going to let me live this down._

Plagg didn't even try to stifle his laugh. His chest was heaving as he succumbed to his unsympathetic instincts.

"If that box was so scary, oh mighty Chat Noir," Plagg panted, knowing that he was simply pushing Adrien's buttons and knowing what his next words would bring, "then why didn't you get rid of it already? I thought you were smarter than that," he sighed falsely, "I suppose Master Fu must have been wrong about you and-" his next words were muffled by the towel that had crushingly found its way on top of his head forcing him down upon the floor.

"You know why I didn't get rid of it!" Adrien dramatically began, arms flailing as he hysterically spoke. "It's not like I could have just waltzed up to Ladybug and said, ' _Hey, bugaboo. My dad is Hawkmoth. Well, he used to be. That is until he gave me his broach. I need your help trying to find a place to hide it. Oh, you want to know who he is? Well that's easy, my lady. His name is Gabriel Agreste. Oops! Now you know I'm actually Adrien and my father is a criminal. Oh, and I'm not going to put him in jail because he's my dad so….."_

"Yea. Like that was going to happen. And I soon as I would have tried to bury it or something, it would have just come back just like in that movie with that cursed board…...wait…" Adrien faltered, only just now registering the last words that Plagg had said.

He hurriedly picked up the towel, once again wrapping it around his cold, bare waist. "Who is Master Fu?" he asked, dusting off his kwami in hopes that he wouldn't be too mad to reply. "What do you mean he was wrong about me?"

"I'm sure I've told you about him before," Plagged grunted as he waved his hand over his shoulder, disgruntledly making his way back to his cheese.

"You most certainly have not," Adrien retorted, grabbing on to Plagg's tail.

"Sure, I did."

"Nope."

"Well that would explain why you didn't just take Nooroo back to him," Plagg broke free of his hold and spun back around, placing his hands on the sides of Adrien's face. "Did I seriously not tell you _anything_?"

"I guess not," Adried dryly replied, "So….who's Nooroo and why should I have taken him to this so called Master Fu?"

()

"Marinette! MARINETTE!" Alya's voice broke Marinette's dreamless sleep. "You have to look at this!" She shrieked, climbing up the ladder with an ecstatic grin. "You won't believe what, no _who_ I saw this morning." A blindingly bright screen was shoved into Marinette's face as she yawned, struggling to focus her vision, unable to remain completely awake.

Alya leaned forward, straddling her legs on either side of Marinette, as she sat, perched atop of the drowsy girl's hips. The excitement that she had stored up inside for the past few hours could no longer be contained. Alya had tried to be a good friend. She had tried to let Marinette sleep, but as soon as the bakery sign had switched from closed to open, she had darted through the doors, up the stairs, and straight on top of her blue eyed friend.

"Come on Mari, just look at the picture. I'm dying here. You can't even imagine how hard it has been for me to hold this in."

Marinette grumbled, shoving the phone out of her face.

"Give me a _second_ , Alya. Everything is still blurry." she cried, pushing her friend against the wall. Why even invest in an alarm? Why didn't she just have Alya wake her up every morning? Why, Marinette wondered in despair, did Alya choose the worst morning to burst into her room with no regard for personal privacy?

Before her eyes could close, she felt Alya's hands press against her shoulders, shaking them, in devoted exasperation. She moaned, unable to ignore the infuriating touch, allowing herself a moment to sit up and rub her eyelids. However, she couldn't ignore the position of the sun as its rays barely illuminated her room, knowing it was far earlier than she had even gotten up.

 _Why would Alya do this?_

Marinette wriggled her shoulders and she fixed Alya with a stern stare.

"Just show me the stupid picture already," she demanded in a clipped tone, before opening her palm and allowing her expression to soften. "It's obvious that I'm not going to get anymore sleep."

Alya cackled in triumph while thrusting her phone once again into Marinette's, now prepared, face. An involuntary gasp erupted out of Marinette's lips as her eyes focused on the image before her. It took everything within her not to scream. Alya had gotten a picture of her.

No, Alya had gotten a picture of _Ladybug._

Marinette's entire body burned, a raging fire coursing through her veins. Her vision blurred, mind muddled, as she sat, wordlessly in a state of blame. She had been reckless, careless, and now she was going to have to pay.

"I'm going to submit this picture to my editor along with an article speaking of the mysterious return of our two favorite superheroes." Alya rambled excitedly, pulling her laptop computer out of her bag. "I spent all morning writing it, and I just wanted to get your opinion before I turned it in. Maybe there is a new super villain in town that only Ladybug and Chat Noir know about, or maybe they are secretly dating but don't know each other's real identities. Better yet, they could be…."

"I am just going to stop you right there, Ms. Cesaire." Marinette huffed, hand raised and voice demanding.

Alya froze, not hardly believing the icey tone that her gentle, tender-loving Marinette had just used. Just as Alya was about to speak back up, the sleep deprived heroine cut her off.

"You can't just go around publicising someone's life like that, Alya," Marinette explained in a much softer voice. "Just think about how Ladybug would feel about having her picture shared throughout the entirety of the city. Don't you think that if she had wanted to be noticed that she would have opened up to the public herself, like Chat Noir had done?"

The former blogger, who was way too caught up in her story, hardly batted an eyelid. "Just let me show you what I have." She slurred with a crazy glint in her eye, attempting to pull up that article she had written. "The people are going to go wild. They are ecstatic enough as it is with the return of Chat, but with Ladybug now on the scene they will go ballistic."

Marinette carefully took Alya's hands within her own, gently turning her friend away from her screen.

"You. Are. Not. Listening." Marinette's calm yet determined voice began. "You shouldn't submit that article or post that picture online. Just think about it from another superhero's perspective…. Rena Rouge for instance." At the mention of her very own masked persona, Alya immediately perked up giving Marinette her one hundred percent attention. "How do you think that girl would feel if someone posted a picture of her without permission and started spreading all kinds of crazy rumors? Do you think that she would be overjoyed to hear that people are saying that she is a fraud? That she is simply a hero obsessed teen that gets her kicks from parading around as a fox. No wonder she says that she has the power of illusion. She is the biggest deception of all!"

A lump formed at the back of the reporter's throat and her eyes began to sting. "None of that is true," she coughed, endeavouring to hold back the tears that were trying to escape. "Why would you say something like that?"

Catching a glimpse of the newly formed water within in her friend's eyes, Marinette realized that she had taken things a bit too far. Stomping on her friend's feelings had not been her intention at all. "I'm just trying to get you to understand how your story could end up hurting Ladybug and even Chat Noir. I know you are excited that they have returned to Paris, but you have no idea on the reason why. You, of all people, should know about the importance of checking your facts."

Alya stiffened as the memory of how she had allowed herself to become akumatized flooded through her mind. She had recklessly accused Chloe of being Ladybug without finding any solid proof. In the process of trying to gain some evidence to prove to her friends that she was right, she had been caught peering into Chloe's locker.

But she had been wrong. _Dead_ wrong.

Alya had vowed to herself that she would never believe anything that carelessly ever again, and she most certainly would never publish any ridiculous theory. Now, however, she found herself on the verge of submitting an article that had only one sentence of truth at best.

Alya thought through the situation, suddenly grateful for Marinette's perceptive warning. She didn't want Ladybug's reputation to be ruined by mere theory and speculation. There was a woman, just like herself, living a normal life beneath that mask. She didn't deserve to have her happiness marred by the slandering of her other half. Besides, if Ladybug wanted to ganter around the city without anyone knowing, then who was Alya to stop her? No one else had their every move publicised (besides maybe Adrien, but even he wasn't that bad), and Alya certainly knew that if it had been her, as Rena Rouge, then she wouldn't want the pressure of the media on her shoulders.

With a resigned sigh and a crumpling of her shoulders, the feisty brunette finally admitted to her defeat.

"Fine, you win." Alya conceded, carefully returning her computer back into her bag. "I won't post anything about Ladybug online or with my editor. She deserves some privacy." Then, eyes burning with newfound determination she added, "But if Ladybug ever decides that she wants to return to Paris, for real, I _will_ be the first person to report it. Alya Cesaire never fails!"

Marinette giggled, a smile etched into her eyes, "I will hold you to that promise, oh queen of the Ladyblog. You would never let Ladybug down. Now, let's get this makeover started."

"Not until we have had a bite to eat," Alya chirped, dramatically clutching on to her now grumbling tummy. "I don't know about you, but this girl is famished!"

After sufficiently getting their fill from the bakery, the two girls settled upon Marinette's chaise, Ayla's fingers expertly working through her best friend's midnight blue hair. Alya spoke a mile a minute, never allowing her words to stray from the topic of Ladybug's return, but Marinette barely heard a word that was said. It was nearly nine o'clock, and she was expecting a phone call at any minute.

As if on cue, her phone buzzed in her pocket causing her to jerk in response. Marinette hastily pulled out her phone in an attempt to answer it, managing, somehow, to send it careening across the floor instead.

Quick on her feet, Alya casually sauntered towards the vibrating phone. A malicious grin spread across her face as she noticed a picture of a certain male model on the screen.

* _Click*_

"Alya here," she began, leaving Marinette sitting alone on the chaise, mouth agape. "Marinette is too clumsy to answer her phone right now. May I take a message?"

"Uh," The blonde hesitated as his hands began to shake. This was not a part of the plan. Marinette was supposed to answer the phone. Not Alya. "I…. uh… was just calling to see if Marinette wanted to go to the zoo with me later today."

"She would absolutely adore to go with you, lover boy," Alya stated boldly, "and so would I. Maybe we can make a habit out of this Saturday double date thing. What time should I tell Nino to meet us there?"

 _Well, that was easy._ Adrien thought, scoffing at the fact that Marinette now didn't have to do much of anything. Besides from hanging out with Alya all morning and giving her a 'makeover.' But even that wouldn't be too hard. Marinette and Alya always looked amazing.

"Er… don't worry about it Alya," he countered. "I was getting ready to call Nino anyway. I will let him know to meet us all at noon." That last part was a lie, and Adrien hoped that Alya didn't pick up on it.

"See you then, blondie," Alya supplied whilst being chased, unsuccessfully, much to her own pleasure, throughout the pink clad room. "I'll make sure that Marinette looks super nice for you," she added with a wink causing the now red faced Marinette to somehow manage to trip on her two own feet, splaying herself, ungracefully, right in front of her best friend.

With that, the ombre haired girl placed the phone into her pocket, straightening up her glasses, and helped Marinette back to her feet.

"Geez girl," Alya sighed, "and to think that I once thought that you could have possibly been Ladybug. How could I have been so blind? If Ladybug had coordination like yours, well I don't even want to imagine all of the things that could have gone wrong. Although, watching her fight would have been a lot more hilarious." Both girls erupted into laughter, Marinette being the more amused of the two.

 _If only she knew._


	20. Chapter 20: Distractions

I would like to thank A True Hufflepuff 13 and Master_Malice from archiveofourown for beta reading my story. They keep me motivated and truly help to take this story to the next level.

4/24/18

It was a normal mid-summer day at the Parisian zoo. Gleeful children bounced their way from exhibit to exhibit with weary eyed parents hopelessly following along. The animals played, slumbered, and even sat, watching, as the onlookers peered in, catching a glimpse of the redundancy of their lives. People ate, pictures were snapped, and bountiful laughter filled the air spreading like a ripple, dancing gracefully in the wind.

But to one dark skinned, brown eyed man, this day was anything but normal. His insides buzzed and his ears thrummed with the sound of his own overly pounding heartbeat. It was a funny feeling, being able to keenly notice everything in the world around you. But that was how it was for Nino Lahiffe, standing in front of the entry gate, a gentle breeze ruffling his, for once, hat free hair. He could see the twinkling of the sun as it pranced atop the glistening pond and reflected within the eyes of the children all around. He could clearly smell the savory sweetness of the corn dogs and funnel cakes that permeated the air. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard two girls begin to laugh directly behind him.

He felt feverish. It was a warm day, yet he had a cold sweat.

So much planning and preparation had gone into this moment, and now the only thing he wanted to do was run. There was no way that he would be able to pull this off.

 _I can't do this._

 _I CAN'T do this._

 _I CAN'T DO THIS!_

"Dude, you look you're about to pass out. Are you okay?" A pair of firm hands gripped his shoulders, inquisitive green eyes meeting his. _Am I okay? Of course I'm not okay. I'm about to propose to my freaking girlfriend. How could I possibly be okay?_

Adrien easily read the turmoil within his best friend's eyes and offered him a knowing grin, "Just breathe. You have got this in the bag. Besides, Marinette and I will be here the whole time to help you along the way."

Nino could do that. Surely he could do that!

 _Breathe in._

 _Breathe out._

"Oh my gosh! What is that pungent smell?" Marinette teased, seemingly coming out of nowhere, wrapping her arm across the dark haired boy's shoulders, even though Adrien's hands were still placed upon them. "Don't tell me that you are wearing _Adrien_ , the fragrance." She mused with a dorky smile plastered on her face.

That did it. All of his nervousness vanished away as he remembered the utter failure that Adrien's scent had been. _A disaster_ , Nino grinned.

Everyone had been so excited after that ridiculous ad had been released. The scent was everywhere. However, just as quickly as it had become a thing, it had rightfully fled the scene. The smell was too strong, and everyone had quickly become sick of the disgustingly intense aroma.

It had been years since Nino had given Adrien a hard time over this particular blunder, and there was no way that he was going to pass up on this chance now.

"Radiant," Nino began, smirk firmly planted on his lips, mischievousness glinting in his eyes.

"Carefree," Marinette continued in a singsong voice, battering her eyelids.

"Dreamy," the two joined in together, staring longingly into Adrien's eyes.

"Adrien, the fragrance," they crooned, bursting their arms through the air in imitation of fireworks exploding.

Adrien went crimson. His mind opened a vault taking him back to that scent.

 _That SCENT!_ He remembered that very smell from the night before.

No wonder it had irked him, filled him with a sense of dread. But who had been wearing his name brand fragrance? It certainly hadn't been Marinette. Come to think of it, it hadn't been Chloe or even her boyfriend. That left only person, Adrien realized. She had hardly been noticed, a backdrop not meant to be seen.

However, Marinette had seen her. She had told him that she thought the girl was strange. But he hadn't believed her. He had brushed her concerns to the side.

"Dude, are you okay?" Nino questioned tensely. "It was just a joke. You look like you're about to freak out."

"Nino!" Alya cried, rushing into his arms, knocking Adrien out of the way, only having just arrived from her detour to the bathroom. "You won't believe who I saw this morning!"

Marinette stood in front of her, narrowing her eyes in disapproval, as if she was worried about what Alya was about to say - daring her speak.

"I never promised I wouldn't tell my friends," Alya pouted, sticking her tongue out at Marinette. "Especially my _boyfriend_."

"Let me guess," Nino intercepted. "You saw Ladybug."

"How did you know?" Alya's voice squeaked as she pulled Nino closer. He couldn't have known. She hadn't told anybody besides Marinette.

"Lucky guess," his gentle voice soothed as he lifted his hand bopping Alya on the nose. "There's only one person, besides hopefully me, that could get my girl so excited at just having to simply be seen."

()

A few minutes later, after Adrien had come up with a lame excuse of an exhibit that he was just dying for Marinette to see, he and Marinette found themselves seated uncomfortably behind a bush in order to 'secretly' watch the upcoming scene. It was the first time all day that they had been alone together, and Adrien couldn't think of a single thing to say.

His mind was filled with the scent and the fact that he had so carelessly dismissed Marinette's concerns. Clearly she had been on to something. No normal fan would still be wearing that horrific fragrance. But what did it mean? Was she just an extremely devoted follower, or even worse- could she actually like the perfume? Marinette seemed to think that the girl had ill intentions and now Adrien wondered if she was right.

There was also the fact that the something was obviously bothering Marinette. She had seemed fine to him at first, making fun of his fragrance in such an adorable way that he couldn't even be mad. But ever since Alya had arrived, something had changed. Marinette's playful demeanor had immediately been replaced by a seriousness that he couldn't explain. Could it have been the fact that Alya had seen Ladybug? Was Marinette not a fan?

It was true, now that he thought about it, that Marinette never seemed to be around when Ladybug had been, but could it really have been because she didn't like the superheroine?

No. Adrien quickly shook that thought out of his head. Marinette was too kind, and too keen on justice to have disliked Ladybug. There had to be some other reason to explain the drastic change in her behavior. Certainly she was annoyed that Alya's mind was preoccupied with someone other than Nino. She had even said so, basically demanding that Alya forget about the reemergence of her idol to focus on the people that were around her instead.

But then there was that other possibility. The one constantly toying with his mind. It was a recurring dream, a song that he couldn't get out of his head. An idea so simple, yet so impossible that he couldn't bring himself to believe.

What if Marinette…

Adrien hadn't noticed her moving closer until her hand was on his face. His breath hitched and he found himself lost in her touch, his focus solely on her. He peered into her eyes, every hint of her earlier annoyance completely erased. She was beautiful. Absolutely inexplicable.

He leaned into her touch, savoring the warmth of her caressing palm pressed against his face. It was all so new. The touches. The embraces. It was electrifying yet comforting just like watching your favorite movie for the thousandth time.

"You know," Marinette hummed, absentmindedly closing the gap between them. "I don't think I have ever seen you with facial hair before."

The newly grown stubble scratched against her fingers, but she didn't care. She hadn't noticed it at first, but now that Marinette had a chance to really look at him, she couldn't peel her eyes away.

Her tingling fingers brushed against Adrien's newly grown, dirty blonde stubble as her heart beat erratically. They studied every inch of his perfectly sculpted jawline. There were no empty patches and no hair out of place.

"Crap," Adrien muttered, jerking his hand to his reddening cheek. "I forgot to shave."

"You should forget to shave more often," Marinette blurted, unable to hide the blush those rose to her face.

 _How could he have gotten even more handsome?_

Adrien was perfect in Marinette's eyes. But this new, unexpected look on Adrien made him look rugged yet somehow even more refined. He looked older, no longer sporting the baby face of his high school days, and Marinette liked it. She _really_ liked it.

"Alya," Nino's voice cut through the bush immediately making Marinette pull her hand away.

Nino must have continued speaking, as Marinette remained focused on him, but Adrien didn't hear one word. His cheek felt cold and empty with the sudden absence of Marinette's hand. Adrien lifted his own hand, placing it where Marinette's had been, longing for her touch once again. He looked at Marinette, confused, she had liked his scruff? He had been taught to always look his best. Being clean cut was at the top of the list. But Marinette actually wanted him to skip shaving? It surely would be easier on him, and hey, if it made Marinette fondle his face, then he wouldn't mind.

Alya's laughter pierced through Adrien's reverie bringing him back to the task at hand. Reluctantly, he shifted his attention to the couple that was currently standing only a few feet away.

"I still can't believe Ladybug and Chat Noir actually locked us up in that cage," Alya hooted. "Sometimes, they really did have strange ideas on how to keep people safe."

"Yea, and they weren't always successful either," Nino somberly stated, rubbing the back of his neck.

Quick to defend her idol, Alya quickly retorted, "What do you mean? How could you say that?"

Nino's face darkened. This was not going like he had planned. "I-I mean they always managed to save the day in the end, but there were sometimes close calls. It's not like it ultimately mattered, but there is still one instance that I will never forget. I never told you about it, because I didn't think that it really mattered, but now that I think about it, it meant everything."

Nino hesitated, intaking one last deep breath. This would be the perfect segway leading up to what he had planned to say. No more stalling. No more fear.

"Alya," he began in a tender yet serious voice, "when I got zombified by zombizou, it wasn't an accident." Nino reaching forward, taking both of Alya's hands into his. "Actually, it was just the opposite," he smiled with newfound confidence. "You were infected first, and I had the choice to leave you, but I didn't; I couldn't."

Alya raised her brow, unsure of where this was going.

"Instead," Nino went on, speaking slower and more refined, "I opened my arms wide knowing that it wasn't the first time that we had been in trouble together." He leaned in, faces inches apart, "And I honestly hoped that it wouldn't be our last. I'm telling you this because I want you to know that I will never leave you when things are looking rough. I will stay by your side through thick and thin. If you fall, I will be there to pick you up. When you are sick, I will be there to nurse you, even if that means I will get sick myself."

"What I am trying to say is," Nino continued as he knelt down on one knee. "Alya will you…"

"LADYBUG IS BACK!" A small girl, no older than the age of eight, hollered, sprinting past the unsuspecting couple.

Alya's eyes opened wide, mouth suddenly dry. She hadn't released that photo. She had kept quiet, for Ladybug's sake. How could that girl know? What had she seen?

Ignoring Nino, who was now pretending to tie his shoe, Alya pulled out her phone, fingers in a hurry, trying desperately to get that important bit of information on her screen. Then, there it was, a crude picture and hastily written article. It hadn't been her own doing, that much was certainly clear.

Bile rising, teeth gnashing in hate, Alya shrieked, "How could someone do this? This was my story! Marinette told me to wait and look what happens! This is even worse than the article that I had wanted to publish. They think… they think that Ladybug couldn't handle seeing her partner getting all of the attention. There is no way that is true." She looked up from her phone, face red with anger. "If you're going to invade someone's privacy, you should at least be nice about it. Or even _attempt_ in get your facts straight."

Marinette's face was ashen and her stomach churned uncontrollably as she watched the nightmarish scene unfolding before her. She had just ruined Nino's proposal. Not directly, but it was her fault nonetheless. Honestly, no matter which way she looked at it, this was all her doing. If only she had picked a more private venue for Nino to propose. If she hadn't been so careless when she had been transformed. If she hadn't stopped Alya from posting her article. All of this could have been avoided if she only...

"Hey," Adrien grabbed her arm, turning her to face him, "this is not your fault."

Marinette bowed her head, unable to meet his gaze, "I-I really screwed up."

"No, you didn't." Adrien claimed as he gently placed his hand on the side of her face, embedding his fingers into her hair and rubbing gently. "You couldn't have known that someone besides Alya had gotten a photograph of Ladybug. You did the right thing. You should never ever let someone else's poor decisions make you feel like you have done something wrong. That's on them. Not you."

His eyes flicked over to observe the aftermath of his friend's failed attempt. Nino was standing, shoulders slumped, in obvious defeat as Alya rambled on about the loss of integrity of reporters nowadays and how she would have to find Ladybug in order to get the real story behind her miraculous return.

"I'm sorry, Marinette," Adrien huffed, quickly pulling his hand away. "I have to get Nino out of this situation. I'll see you tomorrow, I hope."

And with that, the blonde swiftly whisked away like a prince going to save his damsel in distress. Marinette had to grin as the image of Nino in a dress flashed through her mind, but her merriment quickly diminished as she remembered exactly why he was suffering in the first place.

"It's more my fault than you realize," she whispered to herself, wishing that Adrien was still by her side, hoping that someday he would understand

()

Adrien had no idea how to comfort his friend. Ever since he had basically dragged Nino out of the zoo, Nino had barely said a single word. Adrien hadn't known what to say on the car ride to his mansion, so he had driven in silence. As soon as he parked, Nino bolted out of the car and into the house. By the time Adrien made it to his room, Nino already had a bowl full of snacks and had turned on his favorite video game.

Clearly sensing that Nino wasn't in the mood to talk, Adrien headed towards his dresser in search of more comfortable clothing. If he was going to spend all evening gaming with Nino, then he sure as heck wasn't going to do it in his jeans.

 _That's strange._ Adrien was almost sure he had left his underwear drawer open, but now it was unmistakably closed. Had Plagg closed it? Nathalie? Probably not. He shrugged his shoulders as he slipped on a comfortable pair of gray sweatpants. He must have closed the drawer before he left his room, never having been one to leave drawers open.

Now comfily clad, Adrien joined Nino on the couch, tossing him a blanket. "You're so going down, Lahiffe. Let's get this show on the road!"

"Game on, bro."

Many games and empty soda cans later, Nino sat, as he had all evening, wrapped up like a baby swaddled for sleep.

Adrien knew he should say something, to offer words of wisdom, to pour out sage advice, but no matter what he thought of, he couldn't bring the words out of his mouth. It was driving him crazy, not knowing how to comfort his friend, but maybe, hopefully, just being there would be enough just like it had always been for him.

Nino had always been there for Adrien and no glamorous words were ever needed.

After Adrien had learned about his father's villainous hobbies, Nino had been the only one to notice that something was wrong. Instead of pestering Adrien for the details of his his strife, Nino had simply stated, "I'm here for ya bro," and proceeded to spend nearly every waking moment with his best friend.

No words were ever shared about what had been bothering Adrien, but they didn't have to be. Just having Nino by his side, knowing that he would support him through anything, was enough to help Adrien pull through. He had been Adrien's raft, carefully and safely carrying him down the rapids that had overtaken Adrien's life.

If it hadn't been for Nino's encouraging presence, Adrien wasn't even sure if he would have ever gathered the courage to face his long time partner again. Nino had kept him from wallowing in self pity, and Adrien would do the same thing for him, too.

"She loves Ladybug more than me!" Nino wailed, effectively breaking the silence. Adrien jumped at the sudden loudness barely managing to keep his drink from flying out of his hands. _Think of self pity, and it will come._

"All of my dreams with Alya are shattered," Nino grumbled somewhat hysterically with his face in his hands. He continued to ramble, but Adrien could not understand hardly a word that was said. Somewhere between "Ladybug" and "old and alone," Adrien decided that he would listen to no more of this. It wasn't like Alya had turned Nino down. She had just been too distracted to actually notice that he was proposing. There would be another chance. They would just have to come up with something else.

"Snap out of it," Adrien demanded, shaking Nino's shoulders. "Talking like that isn't going to help. You just have to think about another way to propose."

"That's the problem," Nino lamented. "That was it. That was supposed to be the big shabang! I don't have any other ideas. Besides, what else would I say? I worked for weeks on that speech."

Nino had point, Adrien thought. They had sculpted the perfect plan, and anything else would almost seem second rate. But he couldn't allow that to happen. There had to be another way. Obviously proposing in public places would be out of the question, and proposing at home would be too cliche.

Adrien also knew that the sooner Nino got this over with the better. The longer he waited, the more anxious he would become.

Nino twiddled his thumbs, a single tear slipping down his cheek, "I just want to do something special - to make it something that she will never forget."

Adrien's phone buzzed on his lap. Glancing down, he saw a message from Marinette.

[Marinette: How's Nino? I've got Alya at my place. She's spending the night. Still oblivious.]

Alya was with Marinette. Adrien could work with that. In fact, this news worked quite to his advantage.

[Adrien: Not so great, but thanks to you I think I have an idea.]

Adrien grinned, slipping his phone into his pocket as he stood, extending his hand.

"C'mon, get up," Adrien smirked as he pulled Nino, reluctantly, to his feet, "I have a plan."

 _Don't forget to leave comments and reviews! I love to hear from my readers. Let me know you are there! Let's get interactive._


	21. Chapter 21: Realization

Steph: Thank you so much for your kind comment. I am glad that you are enjoying my story!

Niom Lamboise: Of course. Poor Alya getting in her own way.

Bittersweetlie: I am posting as often as I can. I have a full time job as a teacher and I have two kids. I am so glad that you love the story.

wolfrunnerable12 : You better bet Marinette will protect her man!

5/1/18

Chapter 21: Realization

Marinette never thought that she could get sick of hearing about herself, but here she was, elbow perched atop her desk leaning her head into the palm of her hand ready to kneel over in boredom. Alya had been rambling for hours about the reemergence of Ladybug coming up with theories on her return, lamenting on the trashy article that had beaten her own, and concocting all sorts of ridiculous plans that would hopefully find her face to face with the elusive heroine.

Marinette had tried almost everything to get her friend's mind off of her other persona; she had put on a movie - during which Alya somehow masterfully managed to connect everything to Ladybug; she had tried to play a video game, but Alya only commented on how a Ladybug character would make the game so much better; and she had even tried to offer her friend some wine (in hopes of muddling her mind), but Alya had refused - stating that she needed to stay as sharp as a tack in order to construct an irrefutably well designed plan .

Marinette's phone lit up, showing Adrien's response to her inquiry about Nino. If Alya wasn't going to change what she was talking about, then Marinette would just have to speak with someone else.

[Adrien: Not so great, but thanks to you I think I have an idea.]

The bluenette shifted uncomfortably in her seat. What were those boys up to? Marinette analyzed the message that she had sent. Nothing within those words should have given Adrien an idea. Maybe she was reading too much into things; he possibly could have been referring to something that they had talked about weeks ago. But even then, she still had no idea of what she had said.

[Marinette: I'm glad that I could inspire you, but what exactly is your idea? Please let me in on this before you decide to do something stupid.]

"Why did you ask Adrien about Nino's well being?" Alya blurted, having successfully snuck up behind Marinette. She had been curious as to what had been so important to her friend as to stop listening to her conversation. Her heart jolted within her chest when she had seen her boyfriend's name show up across the screen. Was something wrong with Nino? Was he not feeling well? If that was the case, then why didn't she know? But then she saw the words that filled her spirit with the most unease: _still oblivious_.

"What are you not telling me, Mare?" Alya's eyes narrowed.

Marinette jerked around to face her friend at the sudden intrusion on her privacy and much longed for change of topic. Alya stood, arms crossed, with daggers in her eyes. Well, this wasn't exactly the change in conversation that Marinette had been hoping for. Why couldn't Alya bring up something simple, like what they were planning to eat?

"I-um," Marinette muttered, unsure of how to answer her question.

"What do you mean I am still oblivious? Oblivious about what?" Alya stomped her foot.

Marinette froze, eyes unblinking, as she tried to think of a way to calm Alya down. She was like a storm catcher, watching, powerless at the edge of the storm. Would the storm intensify, encouraged by the conditions to multiply into a raging swirl? Or would it fizzle down, dissipating into nothingness, leaving no destruction whatsoever in its path?

"Is there something that I am supposed to know? Something that has to do with Nino?" Alya questioned, throwing her hands into the air. "He seemed perfectly fine at the zoo today. We had a great time. We talked, we laughed, and… well I guess he did leave suddenly, but I thought that was because Adrien needed him for something."

"Adrien was just trying to be a good friend," Marinette blurted without even thinking. So much for calming the brewing storm.

Alya placed her hands on her hips, "A good friend? You sound as if he needed some kind of saving. Why would Adrien have to save Nino from me?"

Marinette had said too much. This was not her secret to tell. Nino would undoubtedly try to propose again, and Marinette did not want to ruin that surprise. Therefore, she continued to sit, tight lipped, as her friend gave her best impression of puppy dog eyes, masking the turmoil that was stirring within.

It didn't take long for Alya to drop her sweet demeanor. "Fine, if you're not going to tell me, then I will just have to figure it out for myself." She sighed, taking a deep breath and pinching her chin between her forefinger and her thumb. "Right before Adrien had so rudely whisked Nino away, Nino had been telling me about something. Hmmm… what did he say?"

She began to pace across the room, one arm folded across her chest with the other still rubbing against her chin. "We had been talking about being locked in that cage, and he had mentioned something about Ladybug and Chat Noir not always being successful in saving people. I remember kind of being upset about that, but I wasn't mad enough to make Adrien pull him away."

"Let's see, I think there was more than that." She plopped herself down on the chaise, leaning back on her hands and kicking her legs off the edge. "Oh that's right, he told me about the time that he had gotten zombified. He said something about it being his choice to stay with me. That part had been really sweet. In fact, everything he said after that had been quite sentimental now that I think about it."

Alya placed her feet on the ground as she sat straight up. The sappy comments, the promises of never leaving her behind - Alya's eyes burst wide open, her chest cinching with realization as she stood, gasping.

"OH MY GOSH! Oh no!" she cried, grabbing onto her chest with one hand and covering her mouth with the other. "He was going to propose!" Her legs buckled beneath her as she crumpled to her knees. "I'm such as an idiot…" she breathed. "There's no way he was just planning on tying his shoe. The makeover, the call, the trip to the zoo, it was all a rouse."

Her breaths were labored as it appeared to Marinette that she was about to hyperventilate. Swiftly, Marinette abandoned her post at the desk, swooping in to wrap her arms around her best friend. "It's okay Alya; it's going to be alright. You didn't know. The whole timing of the thing just really, really sucked."

"You don't understand," Alya countered, placing her hands on Marinette's shoulders and extending her arms with wild and pleading eyes. "I've ruined everything. I allowed myself to get completely distracted as soon as I heard Ladybug's name. He's going to leave me. Nino is going to think that I love Ladybug more than him!"

How could she have done that to her poor, sweet Nino? Her mind had never been on him; it had been on Ladybug the entire time and the mere mention of her was enough to take Alya's attention completely away from him. What kind of girlfriend is too caught up in her own obsessions to not even notice an attempt at a proposal from her boyfriend?

Seemingly out from nowhere Marinette laughed - a hearty laugh that could not be contained. What started as a mere chuckle, quickly escalated to a laughter that was so pure, that she could barely breathe.

Dropping her hands, Alya stood, shoulders slumped, facing away from her friend. "You find my misery amusing?"

"No," Marinette grinned as she also stood up, and brushed off her knees. She wrapped her arm around Alya's shoulders. "It's just that your conclusion is so ridiculous that I just couldn't keep it in. Alya," she breathed, blue eyes unwavering, "Nino was going to propose. He's not going to give up on you just because of one failed attempt. He is going to try again."

"How can you be so sure?" A single tear finally escaped, processing slowly and regretfully down Alya's cheek.

Marinette grinned as she caught the tear on the tip of her thumb, "Because I helped him plan it the first time." She removed her arm from Alya's shoulders, gently grabbing, instead, onto her warm, smooth hands. "Believe me, it won't take long for him to come to me again."

Alya's breathing relaxed as Marinette's words sunk in. Looking into her friend's steadfast cerulean eyes, she knew that what Marinette had said just was true. Of course Nino wasn't going to leave her. He had just promised to stick with her through thick and thin. Besides, Nino was one of the most forgiving people that Alya knew. She had missed their one year anniversary dinner reservation because she had been off chasing an akumatized victim. He had forgiven her then, so he would definitely forgive her again.

"I have to do something to show him that I truly do love him." Alya schemed, releasing the hold that Marinette had on her hands and pacing, back and forth across the room. "He must feel absolutely terrible. I need to do something to lift his spirits. Should I call him and apologize? Or maybe I can bake him some sort of desert and deliver it to him."

Marinette crossed her arms and sighed, "You are overthinking things, Alya. Unless your goal is to immediately alert Nino to the fact that you figured out his plan, I think that your best course of action would be to sit back and do nothing."

Swiftly turning on her heels to glare at her seemingly delusional friend, Alya shouted, "Do nothing? How could you expect me to not to do anything? I have to try to make this right!"

"No you don't," Marinette said with confidence. "This was not your fault and Nino knows that. Anything that you do right now could ruin any sort of surprise that he has left. My advice to you would be to just listen next time you are with him. I don't care what is going on. There could be a brand new Hawkmoth spreading akumas throughout the city for all I care, but you just need to shut your mind from the outside world and focus on him. Can you do that?"

"I-um…" Alya hesitantly began. This was going to be hard. She easily got excited over the simplest of things. Her mind was a constant newsreel chalk full and buzzing with current events. But, but she had already let that ruin her proposal once; she couldn't let that happen again. Nino deserved her full attention, and she would block out anything to give that to him.

"Yes," Alya promised. Nothing would come between them again, and the next time she said this word with such truth and finality, she would be saying yes to him.

()

A few hours later, not long after the sun had set, the two girls were snuggled, contentedly, in bed. Alya had seen the weary look in Marinette's eyes, knowing that her early wake up call was catching up, and had feigned fatigue just to get Marinette to rest.

Now that her best friend was asleep, Alya's mind ran rampant with possible scenarios of her next encounter with Nino. Would he try to propose, or would he act like nothing had happened? She wished that she could pretend that she hadn't figured out his intentions, but she wasn't so sure she could.

It would be like discovering that Ladybug was actually none other than her best friend, Marinette. Would she be able to just act like things were the same, as if nothing had changed? Probably not.

 _*Thudunk*_

Alya sat straight up, heartbeat racing, at the sound that emanated from directly above her head. She wondered if someone was on the balcony, but quickly dismissed the idea. Unless someone had a ladder, or was an extremely skilled climber, there would be no way for anyone to get there. One of Marinette's potted plants must have fallen over.

She settled herself back down on the bed, pulling the sheets flush against her neck. With a sigh, she relaxed and closed her eyes only to have them immediately flutter back open as unmistakeable footsteps were heard overhead.

Alya looked over to her sleeping friend; she looked peaceful. Breaking Marinette's serene rest was the last thing that Alya wanted to do, but there was someone, maybe even multiple someones gallivanting above them. If the intruders somehow managed to break open the trap door, they could jump directly on top of Alya and Marinette. She had no choice. It was too dangerous to stay in bed.

"Mari," Alya whispered as she nudged her friend. "You have to wake up. We have got to move."

"Five more minutes mom," grumbled Marinette, turning herself over, snuggling deeper into her covers.

The sound of the footsteps quickened, raising the hair on Alya's skin. Her throat tightened and her breaths were shallow and ragged. There was no time to wait. Throwing herself off the edge off the bed, she pulled the sheets back and grabbed onto Marinette's waist, dragging her across the mattress.

Wishing that her friend wasn't such a heavy sleeper, Alya heaved Marinette off the side of the bed, firmly clutching her waist with one arm and holding the ladder with the other.

"What's going on?" Marinette squirmed within Alya's arm. She could not see her assailants face as she was turned away looking into the darkness of her room.

On instinct, Marinette thrust back her elbow causing Alya to lose her breath and to release her hold on both the ladder and Marinette. Both girls tumbled, painfully to the ground, Marinette pinned, face first to the floor.

"What the heck, Marinette," Alya moaned, rolling off Marinette to lay on her back. "Why did you attack me?"

"Hmm… maybe it had something to do with dangling off the side of my bed." Marinette scoffed, propping herself on her elbows. That was the second time this day that Alya had so rudely woken her up. "Besides, how was I supposed to know that it was you who had grabbed me? I thought I was being abducted!"

"That's exactly what I was trying to prevent!" Alya covered Marinette's mouth with her hand. "Don't say anything else… just listen."

A chill made its way down Marinette's spine. Quickly, she removed Alya's hand, "A-are those footsteps?" There was no way that she could transform, not without revealing herself to Alya and giving away the location of where Ladybug lived to the intruders. They would have to come up with some sort of plan. No stranger would stomp around on Marinette's balcony and get away with it.

 _Don't forget to bookmark and comment! I learn so much from your comments. Don't be afraid to criticize. I take all suggestions into consideration. Just a simple comment letting me know what you think, or that you are enjoying the story does wonders in motivating me._

 _Thank you all for your continued support, and I hope that you stick with me through the remainder of this journey._


	22. Chapter 22: Surprise

_Sorry for the delay! Life completely got in the way! I hope you all enjoy. Thanks to A True Hufflepuff 13 for helping me beta read this chapter!_

Nedzlisima: Oh wow! Thank you so much! That means a lot to me.

ivysharonivysharon: I am updating as fast as I can. I wish I had more time to write, but sadly, I don't

wolfrunnerable12: Always go with your gut :)

stephdekker.1999: You would be surprised to find many young adults in this fandom. There is just something about it that is so alluring. I am so glad that you love my story!

Bleach power: Great predictions!

Bittersweetlie: Ask and you shall receive. Do you have any ideas of what you would like to see between Adrien and Marinette?

Niom Lamboise: Thank you!

5/18/18

Chapter 22: Surprise

"Throw me that lighter will you?" Adrien panted, annoyed with himself for getting out of shape. Sure, he had spent the last several minutes climbing up and down the ladder (that Tom had so graciously provided) outside of the Dupain Cheng's bakery, and he had hurriedly set up all of the decorations, but that shouldn't have been enough to tire him out so quickly. In his days of saving Paris, Adrien could vault across the entire city without breaking a sweat. He wished that he could blame the difference from then to now on enhanced endurance from the magic that his suit provided, but sadly, Adrien knew there was more to it than that. Even without being Chat Noir, Adrien had possessed quite the athletic skill; it had been way too long since he had practiced his fencing.

Adrien softly chuckled to himself amused at the pathetic image of his current state. He was still wearing his gray sweatpants and had added an oversized black hoodie. His hair was a disheveled mess, he had forgotten to shave, and he was quite out of breath. If anyone, besides Nino, were to see him right now there would be no way that they would recognize him as the famous model, Adrien Agreste. In fact, if his father knew that he had actually left the house looking this bad, then Adrien was sure that his father would deny that this man was even his son.

"Here," Nino huffed as he pulled the lighter from his jacket pocket and tossed it to Adrien.

 _Hey._ Adrien thought. _At least Nino looks good._

And it was true. Adrien's history of attending prestigious events had suddenly come in handy. His closet was full of outfits from the top name brands, and the boys had ransacked it to find an outfit that would fit Nino. It had taken some time to find a set that fit Nino perfectly, but the hour had been well spent. He was dressed in a solid black oxford with the top two buttons remaining undone. The jacket was sleek and smooth, designed to hang open without a button in sight. Slim fitting pants and a black belt with a large silver clasp completed the look along with a pair of black rectangular tipped dress shoes. Nino's hair was slicked back without any lack of volume.

"I'm gonna go back down and grab one more thing." Nino announced, grabbing on to the ladder. "Don't burn the bakery down while I'm away."

"Hey, I'm not Marinette," Adrien pouted as he began lighting the candles. "Just hurry. It's starting to get slightly chilly out here."

Several candles later, Adrien finally let out a sigh of relief at a job well done. Everything looked perfect: from the roses and candles that adorned the balcony rail to the luminous full moon ascending on the horizon. This time, his plan would not fail.

Adrien pulled up his hood to block the crisp air. If he had known how cold it was supposed to get, he would not have suggested this plan, but why would anyone expect it to drop so low in mid August?

As Adrien pulled out his phone to see what time it was, he noticed that he had one unread message. He unlocked his phone and read the text.

[Marinette: I'm glad that I could inspire you, but what exactly is your idea? Please let me in on this before you decide to do something stupid.]

Something stupid. Could what they were doing be defined as something stupid? The answer to that, to put it simply, was yes. He and Nino had been prancing around for the past ten minutes directly above her room. If the girls heard their footsteps, who knows what they would think. The sudden image of Marinette and Alya cowering below was enough to make Adrien swiftly respond to her text.

[Adrien: FYI don't freak out. We are on your roof]

He just managed to send it before something hard crashed against his head. Stars filled his vision as he crumpled to his knees. Another blow, which felt like a rounded point being thrust into his back, sent him careening, and his face smacked against the ground.

Marinette made a note to never get on Alya's bad side. Alya had taken down her prey with two simple strikes and proceeded to straddle her victim and hold him down with the broom pinned against the back of his neck. Marinette loosened the grip on her own weapon, now that it no longer served any use, and took a moment to look around.

"Marinette, call the police!" she heard Alya demand, but she was no longer focused on the two who were piled up on the ground. She was lost in the scenery, dimly illuminated by the full moon, that had been so meticulously set.

Candles adorned the railings of the balcony, each perched atop two flowering roses. Brilliant red petals were scattered across the ground along with more candles and a pile of red and white pillows. Her heart faltered and her breathing became more shallow. She had seen this exact set up before.

"Uh, Alya," her voice shook at the revelation that she was about to say, "I don't think this man meant us any harm. I think… I think that he is…"

Just then Marinette's phone buzzed in her pocket. She whipped it out to see the warning that appeared across her screen. The poor soul pinned beneath Alya hadn't been who she had thought at all. Her stomach churned and her lungs felt as if they had been filled with lead. The crumpled figure, thoroughly beat and sprawled out on the ground was none other than...

"Adrien!" Nino yelped, having just made it up the ladder was not the scene he had expected to return to. He had been gone all of what, one minute? How had Adrien managed to find himself victim to Alya's wrath in that short amount of time?

"Holy heck, Alya," Nino panted, somewhat wary of the deranged look that still glinted in her eyes making him unable to move any closer. "What have you done to my best friend? Not that I'm not impressed, because I am. I mean daaaang girl. But seriously, is he okay?"

"-s all good," Adrien muttered, shifting restlessly beneath Alya's weight. "But I would be much better if you would get off me, please."

In a flash, Alya dropped the broom and pushed herself off of Adrien, scooting away on her derrière in a rather ungraceful fashion. Had she seriously just taken out Marinette's boyfriend? In any other situation, she would have been extremely proud of what she had just accomplished, but now she only felt sick to her stomach.

Adrien slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure if he was as okay as he sounded. His vision still hadn't quite come back into focus and his brain was pounding against his skull along with a high pitched squeal in his ears.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Alya spluttered. "I thought you were some sort of burglar or worse."

Adrien turned towards the brunette, offering a lopsided grin. "Don't worry about it Alz. 'ssss my fault for not letting you know sooner. I'm glad that you're protecting Marinette ."

Hearing her own name, Marinette finally snapped out of her frozen stupor, quickly closing the gap between them. She jumped into mother hen mode, checking out his head where Alya had hit him, and looking into his eyes to see if his pupils were dilated.

Tenderly placing her hand beneath his chin, Marinette asked, "Adrien, are you alright? Headache? Ears ringing? Dizzy?"

"Um… all of those thingssss," Adrien hesitantly replied, knowing exactly what Marinette was getting at. However, he did not want to be the cause of yet another ruined proposal for Nino. "Why don't you help me downstairss-sso you can get me a drink of water? Alya and Nino can ssstay up here and clean up this mess."

"Adrien I…" Nino began, worry laced within his words as he reached towards his clearly injured friend.

"Don't worry about me," Adrien reassured him. "I'm fine. I have Marinette looking after meeee." He glanced over to see Alya, unmoved from the spot she had initially retreated to after scampering off his back, shaking with wide eyes fixed upon him. A wave of nausea swept through him. "Besides, it looksss like you have your own signifffficant other to look after. Makesssure she's okay for me. Alright?"

Marinette's eyes snapped back to Adrien. His slur certainly wasn't going unnoticed. She placed Adrien's arm across her shoulder, helping him to stand. "I'll be taking him down now. Nino, you look very handsome tonight. Take care of my girl."

Somehow, miraculously, Marinette managed to get Adrien off of the balcony and on her bed. For the most part, he had been self sufficient, but never once did Marinette let him out of her grip. Now that they were alone, Marinette could truly assess the situation. She'd had to treat someone with a concussion before, and she remembered it well.

It had been pretty apparent that something had been wrong with Chat after he had jumped directly in front of her and been hit with a giant rubber duck right in the head. Immediately he had begun slurring his words and stumbling around as if he was in a daze. As if it wasn't hard enough for Ladybug to take down the akuma on her own, she then had to keep watch over Chat Noir to make sure that he didn't do anything stupid and get hurt even more.

After she had cleansed the akuma, Chat had heavily complimented her on being, "suchhh a pretty laaaady to take onnn such a mean baddieee."

Luckily Chat hadn't used his cataclysm, so she didn't have to worry about his transformation wearing off anytime soon, but she had been quite worried when she had been forced to leave him behind, humming to himself sitting on a rooftop, while Tikki recharged. When she had returned, she found Chat curled into a tiny ball, almost like a real cat, fast asleep. Marinette had wanted to let him rest, but she knew that staying all night on a roof was not the best idea.

After waking him up and making sure that he had plenty of water, Marinette had to make a tough decision. Chat needed personal care, that much was obvious, and the best treatment that he could receive would have been from the hospital. However, it wasn't like Ladybug could just drop Chat Noir off at the emergency room. There were so many risks involved with that. If his transformation wore off, then everyone would know his identity. Of course, Marinette knew that this was something that could happen no matter where she took him. If she was the one to stay by side, then she would be the one to possibly discover who he truly was. Even though Marinette had desperately not wanted that to happen, she knew that it would be much better for her to find out rather than anyone else.

Once Marinette had put it in her mind that she was the one who would take care of Chat, she had to decide where she could go to give him the best care. Her first idea had been to take, the now somewhat delirious, superhero to Alya's house and to care for him as Ladybug there. But again, the risks were just too extreme. She had never remained in her suit for an extended period of time, and she had no idea how long her or Chat Noir's transformation would last. If either or both of them reverted back to their civilian selves, then Alya, the author of the Ladyblog, would know their identities.

No, the only place that Marinette knew their identities would be safe was in the comfort of her own room. With that solution, unfortunately, a new problem had arisen. Should she care for Chat as Ladybug or as Marinette? If she stayed as Ladybug, Chat might not suspect her identity, but there was still the issue of possibly detransforming. If that happened, then he would definitely discover who she was. But if she began as Marinette, under the rouse of being Ladybug's friend, then her identity just might be safe.

After weighing all the options, Marinette had known that caring for Chat Noir as herself was her best bet. She took him to her room as Ladybug, and later returned as Marinette, pretending that Ladybug had already filled her in on the situation.

Taking care of Chat hadn't been so hard; he had practically fallen right to sleep as soon as she had placed him in her bed. Marinette made sure that he had plenty of water and had given him some aspirin to help the pain in his head.

What she hadn't expected was the sweet and genuinely grateful attitude that Chat had displayed the following day. He had slept for the majority of the time that he had stayed in her room, but when he had been awake, he had taken an adorable interest in finding out about Marinette's life asking about her friends and what she enjoyed to do with her spare time. He had watched, with unwavering eyes, as Marinette knit him a black hat, complete with her signature and cat ears. Chat had even shared with her some of his favorite hobbies such as fencing and playing the piano.

Marinette's heart jolted at the memory of these details that Chat had shared. How had she never noticed that his hobbies had been the same as Adrien's? With the distraction of the urgency of the latest current events, Marinette had completely forgotten about the decorations that Adrien and Nino had placed on her balcony. For the briefest moment, before she had seen Adrien's text, Marinette had believed that the man that Alya had attacked had been Chat Noir. But she had been wrong. Adrien wasn't Chat Noir. Adrien couldn't be Chat Noir. Could he?

Marinette shook her head. She couldn't be thinking these kinds of thoughts right now. She needed to take care of Adrien.

Marinette sat, legs hanging over the side of her bed, holding Adrien's hand as he laid, contentedly on top of her sheets. "Have you had a head injury before? I've taken care of someone who had a concussion once, but it might be a good idea to go to the hospital. Want me to drive you?"

Adrien cautiously sat up, resigned to the fact that he shouldn't get too comfortable. "Umm… I've had one or two," he surreptitiously responded, knowing that the only concussion he had ever suffered from had led him straight to this very bed. "They'll just give me an aspirin and tell me not to play video gamesss. Besides, Alya and Nino would flip if they thought they'd sent me to the ER. Let them have their night. I can go home."

He paused, clearly struggling with the logistics of his plan, inadvertently rubbing the back of his head. "We came in my car. Umm, could I leave it here with Nino? Would you run by the drugstore with me and then drop me off back at home?"

Marinette giggled at just how ridiculous Adrien sounded. "Lay back down you silly goof," Marinette gently commanded. "I have everything you need. Just give me a second to grab some medicine and that glass of water you wanted. Then, I'll gather you more pillows and make some soup."

Adrien immediately complied, without even a thought of resisting. Marinette had taken good care of him once before, and there was no doubt in his mind that she could effortlessly do it again. He tried to remember his time as Chat Noir that he had spent with Marinette, but his mind and memories were clouded as if they were lost in a boundless, engulfing fog, that only grew bigger with the spinning of his head.

Peering over the side of the bed, Adrien watched as Marinette opened the door to a closet that was filled to the brim with first aid equipment. If he had been in his right mind, he may have wondered why she held this ridiculous overkill supply. However, nothing seemed out of the ordinary to his ever thrumming cranium, and he simply smiled and gratefully swallowed down the medicine at her return.

Marinette gently brushed Adrien's overgrown locks from his face and tenderly leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"Marinette," Adrien began, cupping the side of her face once she had lifted back up, "Thanks for taking care of me agai..."

A shrill scream emanated from above them causing Adrien to drop his hand. His heart pounded frantically as he jolted, sitting straight up in bed. The sudden movement, however, brought with it a painful throb in his head and an instantaneous surge of nausea.

"Hold on," Marinette firmly commanded, placing her hands on Adrien's shoulders to keep him from trying to stand. "You need to lay back down. Everything is okay. I think that was just Alya saying yes."

Adrien's muscles relaxed and he took a deep breath. Of course. The whole reason that he was here in the first place was so that he could help Nino propose. How had he so easily forgotten that?

Carefully, Adrien eased himself back down on the bed. "I think… I think that I need to rest. -s it okay if I sssleep in your bed?"

Marinette chuckled in response, an empty laughter that she hoped Adrien didn't catch.

Again.

Adrien had almost said again.

Did that mean that she had taken care of him before? Surely he had meant to say something else, or he was referring to something completely unrelated to this. Because the only person that she had ever helped with a concussion had been Chat Noir.

()

Plagg tossed and turned restlessly in the confines of the front pocket of Adrien's hoodie. It was stifling and, much to Plagg's utter dismay, completely lacking of any sort of cheese. The disgruntled kwami cursed Adrien underneath his breath, stomach growling, for his holder's complete lack of responsibility in keeping him comfortably satiated.

"You can come out now," an all too familiar voice sung out. "They are both you want, we can sneak downstairs and get some cheese."

Before Tikki could even finish her sentence, Plagg darted from Adrien's pocket and wrapped the red and black kwami in a warm embrace.

"Thank goodness you are here!" Plagg rejoiced, as he spun Tikki around. "You've always known how to take care of me, unlike Mr. Frequently-Unprepared over there. Show me to the good stuff."

Tikki snorted, this wasn't the first time that she and Plagg had taken the chance to spend some time together since Marinette and Adrien had been hanging out. They had spent several hours catching up the night that Marinette had gone over to Adrien's house and oftentimes snuck away together while their two keepers were distracted at work.

"Do you think they will ever figure it out?" Plagg groaned as they made their way down to the bakery. "I'm getting sick and tired of seeing them dance around each other, afraid to fully commit. If they only knew, there would be nothing to hold them back, and nothing keeping me from roaming freely when Marinette is around. Can I please just tell Adrien now? I thought letting him figure it out on his own would be fun, but now it's just getting pathetic."

Tikki grabbed Plagg's hand, forcing him to stop and look at her. "Just give them a little bit more time," she smiled, years of experience and knowledge pouring from her eyes. "They are almost there. In fact, I think that in their hearts they already know. However, their minds are not willing to admit the truth."

Tikki sighed. "You know, they kind of remind me of us. When I first met you, I thought you were selfish and conceited. After centuries of getting to know you, I still held on to that initial belief even though you had proved over and over to me that I had been wrong. It wasn't until you nearly sacrificed yourself, after the death of one of your Chat Noir's, in order to protect me that I allowed myself to truly admit that I was in love."

"I think Marinette and Adrien are the same way," Tikki's voice shook as a small tear glistened within her eye. "It's going to take something big for them to finally admit to the truth that they had known all along. And for some odd reason, I can't shake the awful feeling that this something is going to happen very soon."

"You feel it, too?" Plagg questioned, completely forgetting about his need for cheese and catching Tikki's tear on the tip of his paw before it could slip down her cheek. "I've had this feeling all day that something ominous is about to happen. I thought that it may have just been some bad cheese that I ate, but now I'm not so sure. Do you think they're ready?"

"They have to be," Tikki frowned. "Their time as Ladybug and Chat Noir is far from over."

"I was afraid you were going to say something like that," Plagg groaned. "It looks like Adrien is going to have to start buying more cheese."

Hey guys! Thanks for reading! My next chapter is going to be predominantly fluff. If you have any ideas on something you would like to see between Adrien and Marinette, let me know! (I'm thinking mainly conversation wise)


	23. Chapter 23: Dreams

Okay, so I am going to pull an Incredibles 2 and just apologize. It takes a long time to come up with an idea and to get the wording right. Not only do I have to find time to work on this myself, but I also have to work with my amazing beta readers. With the end of school, going on vacation, and watching two kids it's hard to find quality time to just sit and write. And then there's the whole issue of doubting myself, attempting to rewrite the entire story, and beginning a one shot in a time of little inspiration. But... I promised myself and my readers that I would finish this. I will finish this. Would I love to go back and rewrite it? Absolutely. But right now, I have to work with what I have.

So... enjoy. I put a lot of time and effort into this chapter, and the next one, is already a pretty good distance along.

6/23/18

Chapter 23: Dreams

Everything was dark. It was quiet and empty; nothing seemed to be around. Adrien stumbled in the blackness, aimlessly wandering, trying to find a way out. His legs shook with each step, and his eyelids drooped with fatigue: this path was endless…

As always, a dim shape appeared in the distance. Adrien sighed. The girl with the pigtails ever remained out of his reach: a distant memory that could never be regained. For years, Adrien had run, desperately trying to get to her, but it had always been in vain. Over time, his frantic scramble slowed to sprinting, then to a jog, eventually ending in a slow walk.

Adrien dragged along, shoulders slumped, eyes fixed upon the ground; nothing ever changed - any and all amount of effort was simply a waste. With an exaggerated moan, he halted, conceding to the fact that he would never make any progress and flopped, limbs jingling loosely, tiredly on the ground.

He closed his eyes, ready for it all to end. A gentle breeze licked his skin as he leaned back against his hands, hair dancing peacefully in the wind, taking in a deep breath. A familiar scent lingering in the air.

 _Ladybug_! He gasped and his heart nearly lept out of his chest.

It had been too long since he had smelled this scent - this familiar, welcoming, and beautiful scent. He stood, hope once again flowing through his veins, and his body quickly became covered in a cold, nervous sweat.

One step.

Adrien faltered. _This isn't real._

Two steps. _This..._

Three steps. _Isn't…_

Adrien took off in a full sprint.

Heartbeat pounding, Adrien couldn't help but to smile. The image was getting larger and the scent much more profound. _What changed?_ Adrien thought, as he began to make out the slightest bit of color. _Why didn't the dream remain the same?_

Just as he had always expected, the girl's hair was a bluish black and her body was covered in red form fitting leather.

It had been so long.

Way too long since he had looked into his Lady's face.

In an act of final desperation, he called out her name, never expecting any sort of reaction.

The figure jolted, startled, and began to turn. Adrien paused, trembling in anticipation. Once again he would get to lay eyes upon his best friend.

As she turned, Adrien noticed that she did not was not wearing a mask. His knees gave out beneath him, because even from a distance she looked exactly like…

"Marinette," a kind voice called out along with a hollow knocking sound. The dream swiftly vanished and Adrien opened his eyes only to find that the sudden light made his head pound.

"I brought up some pastries from the bakery. Is Adrien awake yet?"

"No, Maman, not yet. Hold on, let me open the door for you."

Adrien's head began to spin. He was awake, he was sure of it, but he couldn't get away from that smell. Could a scent in a dream be strong enough to linger even when awake? Adrien didn't think something like that could be possible, but how else could he explain…

Oh.

Oh!

Adrien was in Marinette's bed. It wasn't a memory from a dream that he was continuing to smell; it was her; it was Marinette.

"Alya must have done a good number on him for him to still be asleep even after _you_ have woken up," Sabine hummed. "Are you sure he's okay?"

 _Right_. Adrien remembered, even though most of the latter part of his evening was shrouded in fuzz. _Alya attacked me with a broom and then I fell asleep in Marinette's bed._

"Don't worry mom. He's going to be..."

"I'm fine," Adrien chipperly interrupted, peeking his head over the edge of the bed. "Thank you Mrs. Dupain-Cheng for letting me stay here in your daughter's bed. Uh… I meant house!"

He felt blood rush to his cheeks as he caught sight of Marinette's flushed face. Embarrassed, and not wanting to give Mrs. Dupain-Cheng the wrong impression, Adrien quickly tried to amend his words.

"I mean I did stay in your daughter's bed, but it wasn't like… well I mean we didn't… it's just..."

"It's okay," Sabine giggled, "I know what happened. I'm just glad that you are feeling better. How is your head?"

The initial throbbing and dizziness that Adrien had felt when he woke up had greatly subsided, but to be honest, he still didn't feel anywhere near as good as he would have liked.

"Could be better," Adrien hesitantly squeaked while rubbing the back of his head. "I think I should take it easy today."

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Sabine grinned, placing the plate of pastries on top of Marinette's desk. "And now that you mention it, I don't want to see you take a single step out of this house." She crossed her arms and directed a commanding stare at Adrien, causing him to stiffen and make sure to listen to every word she said.

"Now take care of yourself, Adrien." She ordered, walking over and placing her hand on her daughter's shoulder. "Keep a good eye on him Marinette." Then looking back towards Adrien she said, "Make sure to ask for help before getting out of that bed. Those stairs can be a doozy. I can't even count how many times Tom and Marinette tripped on them."

"O-of course," Adrien stammered, still stunned by Sabine's kind, yet authoritative manner. He tried to think back to his own mother, wondering if she had ever been this way, but found the effort to be much too exhausting for his still muddled mind.

With a wink and a smile, Sabine turned away, tapping Marinette a few times on the shoulder, and headed back out the door, leaving Adrien alone in with Marinette.

"There are some pills and a glass of water on the shelf above the bed," Marinette directed, keeping her eyes glued to the floor to hide her still red cheeks. "Do you need anything else?"

"I'm okay." Adrien flashed his teeth in a goofy squinty eyed grin. "I'll be a good little kitty and stay in your bed," Adrien chuckled at his own inside joke.

At those words, Adrien could have sworn that he saw Marinette flinch. However, she quickly straightened her posture and stuck out her finger, pointing it directly at him. "Well, kitten, you better not wet the sheets or you will be facing one very angry Marinette. Should I help you to your litter box before I start working on my sewing?" Marinette asked with a slight smirk.

Adrien's hands slipped from the railing, sending him crashing to the small platform holding up Marinette's bed.

"Oh my Gosh!" Marinette squealed as she ran up the stairs leading to her bed. "Adrien are you alright?"

Barely managing to roll himself over, he groaned, mentally cursing himself in his head, "Not as good as I was a few seconds ago, which wasn't great to begin with. Mind helping me back up to the bed? I think you're right, I need a bit more rest."

Marinette grabbed Adrien's elbows, hoisting him to his feet and back over to the bed. "I can stay up here if you need me to," Marinette whispered fondly, brushing the hair off of Adrien's forehead. "My designs will understand."

The temptation of her suggestion was almost too much for Adrien to withstand. Having her here, gently stroking his head, with her scent so fresh and so…

 _Her scent!_ He remembered, eyes popping wide open as he jerked straight upright, immediately regretting the action.

"Woa!" Marinette jumped, standing to her feet next to the bed. "What's going on?"

Adrien couldn't tell her the truth. He couldn't mention the dream he had just experienced. It would be too weird, and he still had to determine what kind of validity, if any, that dream actually had. It was true, Adrien was sure of it, that he had dreamed of Marinette's scent, and he was quite certain that it brought with it a familiarity that went even further back than her recent time spent with him.

Of course, Adrien had been around Marinette quite a bit in school, but he never remembered really being close enough to pick up on a particular smell. Then, obviously, there had been that time when he had found himself waking up in that very same bed, but had it been that strong of a moment to impress upon him the memory of that scent?

Adrien doubted that, because as soon as he had caught a whiff of that fragrance in his dream, he felt like a feeling of home, of absolute peacefulness, and of his best friend. It just felt like Ladybug. In fact, he was certain that it was Ladybug's scent.

But now, with his head constantly throbbing, Adrien wasn't sure if he could trust his memories, and was even more unwilling to divulge them to Marinette.

"I just remembered that I needed to take the medicine that you left behind," Adrien lied, reaching out his hand to the shelf behind him.

Marinette let out a sigh of relief, quickly picking up the pills and water before Adrien could get the chance. "Let me help you with that," she grinned, popping the pills into his mouth and putting the glass against his lips. "Now, I'm going to be right over there working at my desk. Let me know when you need anything else."

()

Adrien sat, quite relaxed, on Marinette's chaise, unmoved for the better part of his day. After Marinette had left him, it hadn't taken him very long to drift back off to sleep, only to be awoken a few hours later by the gentle thrumming of Marinette's sewing machine.

Only once in his life had Adrien ever gotten the chance to observe Marinette work, and that had been when he was Chat. In fact, before that instance, he had never had a decent conversation with the stammering bluenette. Marinette was always awkward around Adrien, but around Chat, she was competent and confident.

After that incident, he had hoped they could relax around each other when he was Adrien, but that time never came. Through his years in college, and the frequent use of his lucky charm, Adrien had often wondered what it would be like to speak like that again with Marinette, and when he had seen her that fateful day in the parking lot, he couldn't help but to seize that chance.

The conversation began well, but as soon as Marinette had realized she was talking to him, she started stammering again. He had been crushed knowing that his chances of ever getting to see that vivacious Marinette again were slim, yet, to his delighted surprise, she gradually relaxed enough to converse normally with him.

It was the first time they had experienced a normal conversation since he had spoken with her as Chat. Six years Adrien had waited. Six years he had longed to get to know this mysterious girl, and he couldn't wait any more.

Looking back at it now, Adrien realized that he may have thrown himself and Marinette into this relationship, but getting to see her open up, seeing her either play along with or totally sass her way out of his puns, and ultimately ending in watching her work in her room like this was totally worth it.

It was just as Adrien remembered. Marinette poured everything into her creations. He watched her as she leaned over carefully, analyzing each and every stroke, with a nearly dumbfounded admiration. Her meticulous work made her projects so amazing

She was confident, she was gentle, she was…

"Aren't you bored just watching me like that?" Marinette asked, lifting her eyes from the fabric, meeting Adrien's unfaltered gaze. "I could find something else for you to do that won't put too much stress on your mind."

Adrien's breath caught in his throat. Had he always been this fascinated by watching Marinette? There was something there, something even more...

"Beautiful," he murmured, before he could even catch what he was saying.

"What did you just say?" Marinette questioned, not hearing a word that he just said.

"Bored? No!" Adrien quickly responded, speaking loudly to ensure that Marinette was able to understand. "That's what I said. How could I be bored watching you? Are you kidding me? I find your work fascinating and honestly quite soothing to watch."

Marinette giggled, standing up and stretching her arms above her head. "Soothing, huh? As in watching me is going to put you straight back to sleep? Not that you sleeping right now would be a terrible thing, but…"

"No! It's nothing like that!" Adrien quickly countered, waving his hands frantically in front of his face. "I used to sit and watch my mom like this for hours; she had a thing for making quilts. I loved watching her hands as she sewed intricate designs, and when she was done, I was would always crawl in her lap to snuggle. There was something always so soothing about watching her work, and it feels the same way with you."

"Hmm…I think I understand," Marinette hummed, waltzing over and plopping herself down on Adrien's unsuspecting lap, causing his heart to nearly fly from his chest.

"You know," Marinette continued, wrapping her arms around Adrien's neck, making this the best part of his day thus far, "as a teenager, I literally would have died having you looking so adorable and watching me like that."

"What changed?" Adrien chuckled, almost hurt, as he twirled his index finger in the tip of her ponytail.

Marinette removed one of her arms from the back of his neck, flicking the tip of Adrien's nose with a playful grin spread across her face. "I discovered that you're actually just one big giant dork who gets way too much enjoyment out of endless flirting and terrible puns. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were the same reckless stray who also found himself waking up in my bed."

Marinette gasped, quickly covering her mouth with both of her hands. "I can't believe I just said that! Scratch that! Forget everything that I just said."

But there was no way that Adrien was just going to let this slide, not now that Marinette herself had let the cat out of the bag. He was going to milk this for all that it was worth.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng," Adrien spoke in fake disappointment. "You mean to tell me that I am not the first boy to spend the night in your bed?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, making sure that she had no chance of escape. "For shame… and here I thought that you were just an innocent young maiden."

"I was! I mean I am!" Marinette stared desperately into Adrien's eyes. "I would never. I have never. Just like with you… ugh," she groaned, "you will never understand!"

"Make me, princess," Adrien grinned, eyes flashing devilishly.

"Arg!" Marinette moaned, plowing her palms into the top of her head. "Why do you sometimes remind me so much of him?"

"Who?" Adrien asked, trying to sound nonchalant, making circles with his hand in a soothing gesture on her back. "Who do I remind you of that was once in your bed?"

Marinette squirmed, making it hard for Adrien to hold back his laughter. Was it bad to keep egging/edging her on? Probably. But was it worth it to see her flustered and frustrated? Absolutely. Did he maybe go too far seeing as Marinette's face was becoming a shade of red more on the unhealthy side of things? ...Perhaps

"Okay, okay," Adrien conceded, "you don't have to…"

"Chat Noir!" Marinette finally burst, dropping her hands on Adrien's shoulders. "It was Chat Noir who stayed in my room overnight, and it's Chat Noir who you have been acting like!"

Adrien stiffened, not expecting Marinette to actually say it out loud.

"I remind you of Chat Noir? You speak as if you know him."

Marinette turned her head, dropping her arms to let them hang limply by her sides. "I do," she said softly, "I mean, I met him… a few times. I-Ladybug trusted me to help him when she wasn't in a place that she could."

Adrien sighed. "I see." Then he took his hand, placed it under Marinette's chin and turned her back to face him. "And what did you think of the all mighty Chat Noir? You say that I remind you of him; I hope that he is at least a decent guy to be reminded of."

Gingerly removing Adrien's hand from underneath her chin, Marinette lowered it, placing it above her chest, using her own hand to keep it in place. "He was," she tenderly began, "a big flirt who used cat puns way too much."

"Oh... I…."

"Shhhh…" Marinette placed the index finger of her free hand on Adrien's lips. "Let me finish. Anyway, anyone could see those things about Chat just by watching him. However, just like you, he was actually just one big softy with a sensitive heart."

Marinette lowered both of her hands, resting them, delicately, on her lap. "That day that I had to take care of him, I was surprised to find him watching me just like you did. He didn't make any jokes, or attempt to flirt with me in any way. He was kind, and gentle, and genuinely interested in everything that I had to say."

Wrapping his arms once again around Marinette's waist, Adrien pulled her in closely, happy that she would speak about his other self in this way.

"I couldn't help," Marinette continued on, seemingly unphased by the change in their position, "but to notice something behind the mask. And do you know what I saw? Beneath the puns, the silliness, and even the kind-hearted gentleness, I saw an extremely lonely boy who had lost something extremely important to him."

Marinette took in a deep breath, slowly exhaling and placing her hand on the side of Adrien's face.

"I wanted to help him," she whispered, staring deeply into Adrien's eyes, "I wanted to make the loneliness go away. But I couldn't. I didn't. I failed, sending him off alone, and disheartened."

"Adrien," Marinette's voice became even fainter, "I can see that you are just the same. I let Chat down, but I don't want to make the same mistake with you. Are you hurting?"

Adrien's heart beat rapidly in his chest. Marinette saw him. She could see everything. No one, besides maybe Ladybug, had ever been able to so accurately pick up on his pain. But now, with Marinette sitting comfortingly on his lap, he could say with quite assurance that all that pain was mostly gone.

There was just one thing.

One more thing that continually left him feeling a sore in his heart.

And now, more than ever, Adrien realized, he could no longer keep this a secret. He had to tell Marinette. She had to understand the reasons behind his past suffering. Only then, would they truly stand a chance.

"I was," Adrien somberly replied, loosening his grip and letting out an elongated sigh. "And now I think I should tell you why. Marinette, it wasn't just my mom that I Iost. There was another girl. A girl that I knew before I left for college. I was in love with her."

He closed his eyes, letting all the memories that he had for so long carefully guarded rise to the surface. This was going to be a long ride. But at least, now Marinette would know. And it would be up to her to decide...


	24. Chapter 24: Confessions

leelee1027: Thank you so much! The reveal is going to be epic!

OnlyHere4Puckabrina: Thank you for the amazing complement. I try to make my writing pleasant to read. I'm glad you are enjoying it.

ivysharonivysharon: That is awesome to hear! It is the first fanfic I have ever written. I feel honored to be your first. lol.

Sorry if I didn't respond to your comment. My husband needs his computer back.

7/3/18

Chapter 24: Confessions

Marinette knew she shouldn't be feeling this way, but that simple fact did not keep her heart from squeezing, painfully deep within her chest. The fact that Adrien had once been in love with another girl shouldn't change anything; that was in the past - it didn't have anything to do with their current relationship.

But as soon as Marinette thought those things, she knew her reasonings simply were not true. Of course a past love would affect their relationship now. He could still be in love with her, and to what extent, Marinette had to find out.

Marinette lowered her hand, placing it on Adrien's chest. His heart was pounding, and Marinette could only guess that this particular topic of conversation put him in great distress.

"What do you mean you lost her?" She asked in a coarse whisper.

Adrien closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. After a few moments pause, he opened them once again and said, "We went our separate ways. It wasn't as if I had any kind of claim on her. The one time I tried to confess, she told me that she was in love with another guy."

Marinette shifted, moving herself off of Adrien's lap. She had once done the same exact thing to Chat.

"Even knowing that I never stood a chance, my heart broke from knowing I would most likely never see her again."Adrien leaned his head over, resting it on Marinette's shoulder and grabbed on to her hand.

"I know that it might sound stupid," he continued, "but my first few years of college were really hard. I was so lonely and caught up in my own laments that I couldn't allow myself to make any new friends. Of course I had Nino, but he was all the way back here, in Paris."

Marinette gently rubbed the top of Adrien's head, the comforting scent of his shampoo wafting to her nose. She wanted to say something - to let Adrien know his sadness hurt her, but she kept quiet, listening to what he had to say.

"It's not like I didn't talk to anyone. For a while I deluded myself into thinking that I had actually made friends. But I never actually made an effort to talk to anybody outside of class. I spent my time studying or playing video games alone,cleverly convincing myself that I didn't have time to actually do anything else."

Adrien let go of Marinette's hand and turned around so that he could lay his head down in her lap, motioning for her to keep scratching his head.

"Need my rest, you know," Adrien grinned, "doctors orders."

"Of course," Marinette replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Continue on patient."

"Well," he continued, as if he had never made a break in the conversation, "at some point, I'm not sure exactly when, I started opening up to people and letting them see my punny side. It was the first time that I had been totally free from my father like that and totally out of the public eye. I learned that I enjoyed being able to openly speak my mind and often found myself acting out of impulse, rather than my father's demands."

"I feel like I truly found myself, or least unlocked a part that had been hidden, something that I had been too afraid earlier to let outside. I ended up making friends and actually allowed myself to have a good time."

Marinette sat shocked, staring intently into Adrien's eyes. She had always known Adrien's father had been a bit overbearing, many times barring him from even leaving the house, but she hadn't known Adrien had felt so trapped, never allowing himself to show his true self. It was heartbreaking; he had always seemed so happy - she wished she had known.

"That's awesome Adrien," Marinette mustered the courage to say, "I'm so glad that you were able to enjoy yourself like that, even after losing someone."

Adrien sat up, facing away so that Marinette could no longer look into his eyes. "You know, I had convinced myself that I was over her, but now I almost think that I was just trying too hard in order to make myself forget. I shoved all of my feelings deep inside and kept myself distracted so that they wouldn't have a chance to rise."

Marinette stiffened, heart thumping wildy, unable to take a breath.

"Adrien, what are you saying?" she somehow managed to squeak. She couldn't breathe - she could barely think, but she had to know. She didn't want to just blindly read in to what he had just said. "Do you… do you still have feelings for this girl?"

Turning back to face Marinette and wiping a tear that had reluctantly slipped from her eye, Adrien faltered, but then shakily responded, "Yes."

Marinette's world seemed to shatter, leaving her sitting motionless, with nothing but destruction all around. The word that he had just uttered, and its excruciating implications, echoed throughout her head.

"But I am not sure to what extent," Adrien continued, staring pleadingly into Marinette's eyes. His gaze was gentle yet remorseful - Marinette could see his words were also hurting him. He was being honest, and no matter how much it pained her, it was something Marinette needed to hear.

"I think I might still feel connected to her," Adrien tried to explain, grabbing both of Marinette's hands. Even while he was talking about someone else, her heart beat rapidly and a slight tingling sensation flowed throughout her skin.

"She was one of my best friends," he clarified, "and that friendship will always hold a special place in my heart. I know that I love her, but I'm not certain if there's any tinge left of romance or if it's only as a friend."

Marinette tried to swallow, but her throat was suddenly too dry. What exactly was the meaning of what he just said? He loved this girl, but he didn't know if it was romantic or just as a friend? How could he get something like that so confused? It should be simple; he should be able to easily define his relationship. Love wasn't that hard to comprehend.

Was it?

She lowered her eyes, no longer able to stare directly at him. Love should be easy - it should be obvious who you liked. Marinette had always had feelings for Adrien. It was simple. It was straightforward. There were no doubts or complications. Marinette was sure of her feelings for him from the very beginning and those feelings had never changed. How could Adrien be so confused? How could he go from loving a girl to saying that he didn't know exactly what that love meant?

Marinette tried to process it: tried to understand. Was there anyone else that she loved? Someone that could be more than a friend? Of course there was Alya, and even Nino, both of whom she loved, and obviously her love would never go further than that.

But there was one other that she trusted above even Alya, Nino, and even Adrien.

One that had time and time again risked his life to save hers.

One that never betrayed her willingly and always treated her with utmost kindness.

Her dear partner.

Did Marinette love him? Was he simply a friend? Chat, at one point in her life, had been closer to her than even Alya had been, and now she knew he had wormed his dorky self into a small, hidden place, deep within her heart. Just a few days earlier Marinette had cried into Adrien's arms at the possibility of never getting to speak to Chat Noir again. Did that mean that she felt something… maybe something even more than she had been willing to admit?

Suddenly, as if her eyes had been opened, Marinette was able to understand. Chat had always been something: something on the edge of just being a friend. She couldn't be upset with Adrien, or even be hurt at his confession. If she was, then she would be a hypocrite, seeing as how she had someone who was just the same. Would she change her feelings towards Adrien just because of her undefined relationship with Chat? Of course not! So she had to believe. To be believe that, no matter what, Adrien would see her just the same.

Marinette raised her eyes, noticing that he had also lowered his. She tenderly squeezed his hands. "I-I have a friend like that," she whispered, no longer able to keep her inner thoughts deeply locked within. She had to make him understand that she wasn't resentful or angry and that she was going through the exact same thing as him.

"What?" Adrien choked, returning his eyes to meet Marinette's gaze.

"The friend who I had been trying to get back in contact with before…" Marinette shrugged, trying to downplay the implications of what she had just said.

But it didn't work. Adrien's face instantly turned ashen. "You have feelings for him?"

Of course, Chat loved Ladybug. He had even told her that once when she was Marinette. But she had turned him down. She was in love with Adrien: she couldn't be in love with Chat.

At least that's what she always told herself. If there had been no Adrien, what would her feelings really be for Chat?

"The answer to that, I am not entirely sure." Marinette answered honestly, clearly admitting her uncertainty towards Chat for the first time in her life.

Adrien forced a fake smile and said, "Sorry, I shouldn't be feeling hurt by this. I _was_ the one who was just talking about possibly still having feelings for my failed first love. But I can't help to feel a bit jealous you know?"

Marinette blinked, unable to respond.

"Man we are really messing things up aren't we?" Adrien chuckled, laying his head down on the pillow and stretching his legs, motioning for Marinette to join him.

 _Yea._ Marinette thought while carefully laying herself down. _Unless somehow, miraculously, you ended up being Chat._

And then it hit her as everything aligned perfectly in her head.

 _Could Adrien really be Chat?!_ Marinette internally screamed.

Marinette took a moment to look over at the wall that still showed marks from the old posters she had taken down. It had only been a few years since Marinette had torn those pictures down, but she still remembered them well. She could still see Adrien's beautiful youthful smile, having memorized it after years of it being plastered all over her wall.

But could that charming boy whom she had pined after for so long, actually been that goofy cat that had been next to her all along? Once she had seen Adrien in a Chat costume; it had nearly been complete, all without the mask. Marinette had been so stubborn in her belief that Adrien was so much better than Chat, that she couldn't even entertain the possibility that her partner was standing in front of her - that she would recognize him as soon as he put on that mask.

Returning her gaze to look upon his face, she couldn't help but to smile as she noticed his adorable expression while he tried to analyze the situation. His eyes were slightly squinched and he had a partially lifted brow. She tried to imagine this expression as it would look covered in a black mask, and realized that it looked exactly like the face of Chat when they were faced with some sort of puzzle to solve.

 _Adrien really could be Chat..._

That would explain his secret lover, his puns and flirtatiousness, and even his goofy, sometimes undeniable Chat-like grin. Adrien had known that Chat would respond to her letter, and even her balcony had been decorated exactly as she had once seen done by Chat.

Her heart pumped faster than the pistons in a speeding car. It all fit perfectly. Everything just made so much sense. She had begun to miss Chat as soon as she had been reunited with Adrien, and no matter how much she wanted it, she had already figured out that Adrien could never be enough.

It wasn't because she wasn't desperately in love with Adrien, no, that had not been it at all. The reason he didn't make her completely happy was because he was holding back: she wasn't able to see him for his whole self.

And Adrien loved Ladybug! It was the only plausible explanation. He had been depressed, lonely, and heartbroken because he had never learned who she truly was.

Marinette winced as she realized she'd been the one to cause Adrien pain. She had been so devoted to him, so unwilling to let anyone else have a place in her heart, that she had turned him away, ultimately resulting in them having to live their lives apart.

"Are you okay?" Adrien hummed, concern woven deep within the depths of his eyes.

They were both lying down, facing each other, only inches apart from one another's face. Marinette's entire body buzzed in warm exhilaration. Adrien was Chat Noir. She didn't know if her body could handle this revelation

"Yes," she confidently responded, "everything is perfect, and I have a feeling that we actually haven't messed anything up."

"Well that's good to hear," Adrien smiled, gently tucking Marinette's hair behind her ear causing a surge of electricity to make its way down her spine, "because I don't know what I would do without you Marinette. I know the feelings that I have for you are real and regardless of who I may have liked in the past, I want you to know that nothing will ever change that." He paused, his smile fading as he furrowed his brow. "But… how can you say that everything is fine?"

Marinette's fingers trembled as she moved them to place underneath his chin. As soon as contact was made, electricity once again flowed throughout her body. This was like nothing that she had ever felt before. Just knowing that Adrien was possibly Chat, made her sensitive to their every physical touch.

"Adrien, why do you think that we have been so comfortable with each other even from the very beginning?" she asked, trying to insinuate a closeness that they had once previously had.

"I don't know," Adrien shrugged. "Maybe because we knew each other before? I'm not sure what you are getting at."

"Maybe, you might be right," Marinette agreed falsely. "But there is just two things that I have to know. Two things that might help ease my mind."

Even though Marinette was about ninety-nine percent sure that Adrien had to be Chat, she had to question, she had to be sure.

"Okay, shoot," Adrien commanded, a smile forming at the edge of his lips.

Marinette took in a deep breath. "Have you been in contact with her? The girl that broke your heart?"

Adrien's smile faltered as he carefully responded, "Yes. Only recently and not much has been said."

"Okay," Marinette breathed. So far things were going her way. "Now one more question before we wrap this up and I drive you home."

"Of course, little lady, and what question, pray tell, is that?" He smirked, raising his head to rest upon his hand.

"Who's idea was it to decorate my balcony like that?"


	25. Chapter 25: New Emotions

Musica: Thank you. That was my goal. I wanted them to know each other so well that the pieces just fit.

Mew1234: Thank you for the complement! I'm glad you like it so much!

Am I Anna the Banana: Glad you found it. Character development has been one of my top priorities as I have gone along. It's good to know I have been somewhat successful.

T'Lai: Sorry for the confusion. But yes, very different clothes. I'm glad you are enjoying the story.

OnlyHere4Puckabrina: All will be revealed... eventually.

ivysharonivysharon: Hey! This one only took a week. Woohoo!

7/12/18

25: New Emotions

 _Tap, tap. Tap!_

Adrien groaned, covering his head with his sheets.

 _Tap! Tap! Tap! TAP!_

"Ugh, Adrien will you get that?" Plagg whined. "That incessant banging is interrupting my sleep!"

"Get it yourself if you want it to stop that badly," Adrien's muffled voice growled through the sheets. "Besides, you know I'm only staying home from work so I can get my rest. Getting out of bed kind of defeats that purpose, don't you think?"

Rolling to his side and hunkering down into his bed, Adrien thought of the hypocrisy of his words. Even though Adrien had followed Marinette's orders of not getting up, he had not done a very good job of staying relaxed. There were too many crazy thoughts running through his head.

Why had she asked him whose idea it was to decorate her balcony like that? As soon as she had asked it, he had found the question rather odd, but answered honestly - being astonished at her resulting, almost devilish looking grin.

"Good, that's all I need to know," she had said. "Now let's focus on getting you home."

Everything from then on went very quickly. Marinette carefully led him down the stairs and drove him home in his own car. She accompanied him to his room and made sure that he lay down. But Adrien couldn't help but notice that she seemed to be excited, or even nervous, ever since they left her house.

Something had changed. It was almost as if she had figured something out. As soon as she had left, Adrien pondered on the significance of her last question. What could she have learned by knowing that he had been the one behind those balcony decorations? Of course, he had used that exact same set up as Chat before, but that had been for a date that he had set up with Ladybug, not Marinette.

Adrien thought back to that night - the second time that he had tried to confess. Ladybug had been late, and he had originally thought that she wasn't even going to show up. He remembered the pain, thinking that she didn't even care enough to spend time with him unless they were in the middle of an akuma fight. He had been heartbroken, and lonely, at least until he caught sight of Marinette.

 _Marinette!_ Adrien remembered. Before seeing Ladybug that night, he had shown his perfect set up to Marinette. How could he have been so stupid? How could he forget such an important event? Of course that question would be significant! It would directly relate Adrien to being Chat. Had Marinette figured out that he was Chat Noir? Was that why she had been acting so strange?

All night he analyzed this question and could only come to the conclusion that she most likely had. And after hours of tossing and turning, Adrien suddenly started fretting over the answer of a new, equally important question.

Had Marinette figured out who he had been in love with?

If she had figured out that he was Chat, then wouldn't she have been able to put those two simple pieces together? But then, why had she said they hadn't screwed up their relationship? Discovering that Adrien was Chat and that he had been talking to Ladybug, the girl that he had been in love with, should have been enough reason to fill Marinette's head with doubts.

But it didn't.

Why wasn't she more upset?

Just as Adrien had been working through these thoughts, that incessant tapping noise began, and neither Plagg nor Adrien wanted to deal with it.

"Plagg!" A high pitched voice squealed from outside Adrien's window. "I tried to be polite, but I guess I am just going to have to let myself in."

Adrien threw off his covers just in time to see a tiny little red creature floating, effortlessly, right through his window. He rubbed his eyes, thinking that maybe - just maybe he could be seeing things wrong, but sure enough, there she was, and she was flying directly toward him, something nearly larger than herself held in her tiny little hand.

"Tikki," Plagg greeted the creature, only now managing to make his way out of his bed, "and what do I owe this impromptu visit?"

 _Could she be another Kwami_? Adrien thought. _And here I thought that Plagg had no friends._

"I'm not here to see _you,_ " the red and black plush toy playfully responded. "Ladybug wanted me to deliver this letter."

"Ladybug?" Adrien questioned. _So this is Ladybug's Kwami…_

"Yes," Tikki smiled, quickly closing the distance and handing Adrien the folded up piece of paper. "Ladybug thought it would be dangerous to transform again seeing as how the last time she was out _someone_ ended up taking her picture. After debating about it all night, she finally decided that it would just be easier for me to bring it straight to you instead."

Adrien turned his head, pointing his finger accusingly at his own kwami. "I knew it! You guys have known about our identities this whole time!"

Plagg shrugged. "So what if we did?"

Adrien growled, but decided that it would be best not to push Plagg any further. Nothing he could say would change his stubborn kwami's mind. He faced towards Tikki, deciding to speak to her instead.

"Thank you for bringing this to me. Would you like to wait for my reply?"

Tikki giggled. "Nope! Once you read it, you will understand." She danced around, smiling wide with great blue, glistening eyes. "It's nice to finally officially meet you, Mr. Adrien Agreste."

She stretched out her tiny blob-like hand, and Adrien shook it saying, "The pleasure mine. Tikki, was it?"

Tikki nodded her head. "This was fun, but I've got to get back before Ladybug heads off to work." She darted towards the window, but at the last second she turned back towards Adrien and said, "I hope to see you again soon, Adrien."

At that, she gave one last wave and then let herself out the way she came.

"Well, that was interesting," Plagg gestured. "Ladybug must have been desperate to make sure that you got that letter."

"Yea," Adrien agreed as he unfolded the paper. He wondered what could have triggered this change in delivering her letter. There had to be something more going on than what Tikki had told him. Looking at the words on the parchment in his hand, Adrien silently read them in his head.

 _Dear Chat,_

 _There's no need to worry about the publicity of your return; you're not the one who stupidly allowed yourself to be caught in a picture! I hope you don't mind Tikki delivering my letter. I just don't want to deal with having to sneak around._

 _By the way, I think I've thought of a solution that is better than communicating through pen and paper. Even though I will miss the thrill of getting to open up those beautifully written letters. Anyways, we can talk to each other through setting up bogus screen names! Just download OurMessager on your phone and come up with a name. Here is mine:_

 _LuckyCharm13_

 _Now, on to responding to some of the more important things in your last letter…_

 _Outside of the mask you never made puns?! You?! Before this past evening, I would have never thought that was possible. However, now I think I can see it, and that fact makes me extremely sad. You felt like your life was a charade? It's hard to imagine what kind of life you must have really had._

 _But… I want you to know that I was somewhat the same. The girl you knew was much different than how I was in my civilian life. You may think that I am bold and brave, but underneath the mask I was timid and sometimes even a stuttering mess. I couldn't even muster up the courage to ask out the boy that I had a crush on in high school._

 _By the way, you mentioned that I might start to notice your Chat-like qualities if I knew you; do you really think that we could know each other in our civilian lives?_

 _I'm anxiously awaiting your reply,_

 _Ladybug_

Adrien placed the letter on his lap after reading over it several times. His palms and armpits were wet with perspiration and his stomach tossed and turned uncomfortably, messing up all his insides. There was just no denying it. This letter had to be written by Marinette.

There were too many coincidences and obviously written clues. Ladybug just happens to mention that she thinks she might know who he is directly after he was pretty much convinced that he had been discovered by Marinette. And those clues that she had given him, hit him like a nail directly on the head. Ladybug...his Ladybug had once been unable to talk without stuttering around some guy! Well, that sounded familiar.

Adrien laid down, rolling over so that he could rest on his side. He couldn't believe it, but he also couldn't talk himself out of it as all the pieces came flying, putting themselves together.

The hair.

The beautiful bluebell eyes.

Marinette had been upset about someone not responding to her letter. Oh gosh! He had made her cry!

Then there was her smell which had been unmistakingly the same as Ladybug's scent. How had he not noticed these things before? So many obvious signs had been staring directly at him!

And of course! No wonder she hadn't been too worried about everything that he had confessed. Figuring out that he was Chat Noir fixed everything in her eyes. There was no other girl: there was simply Marinette.

 _No way_. Adrien thought. _All those years… I had been in love with Marinette?_

Even though all the evidence suggested that this last revelation had to be true, Adrien found it almost impossible to admit. Could it really be that easy? Had he really fallen in love with the same girl all over again?

If that were true, which he was almost positively certain that it was, then there was no longer anything to hold him back. Marinette had always loved him, and that also meant that Ladybug also had.

There had never been another guy after all.

Adrien's competition had always been him.

But… Adrien winced at the thought. Ladybug, no Marinette, clearly knew that he had been in love with her as Chat, yet she turned him down. Marinette had turned down Chat Noir because of her infatuation with Adrien.

That fact should have made him feel better, but, for some odd reason, it almost made him feel worse instead.

Marinette had clearly chosen Adrien, even though she had been partners for years with Chat. She had barely known him - she was nowhere near as close with Adrien as she had been with Chat - but had still chosen that side of him. That facade. A mere incomplete representation of who he was within.

Chat Noir had always been a more accurate portrait of Adrien, and Marinette hadn't chosen him. What did that mean?

Adrien shook his head, trying not to be hurt by that rejection all over again. It was silly to be jealous of himself, but that didn't lessen the pain of knowing that she had liked his 'model' self better than the rest. He and Ladybug had been so close - they had been the best of friends. Shouldn't she have liked that side better? She was barely even Adrien's friend.

"Kid, are you going to be alright?" Plagg asked, settling himself at the edge of Adrien's bed. "You look like you're about to throw up. Was the letter really that bad?"

Adrien groaned, the weight of everything he had just put together, pressing him down unmercilessly, keeping him glued within his bed. "Yes," Adrien hoarsely responded, "I discovered that Ladybug is really Marinette."

Plagg grinned. "Well that certainly _would_ make things easy. Wouldn't that mean that _you_ were her friend that she was so confused about?"

Adrien quickly sat up, a new hope stirring within. Maybe she really had been in love with Chat. Could it have been possible, that even back then, that she had been able to love all of him? All those years that he had thought himself to be alone and unloved… had he really been loved so wholeheartedly by Marinette?

"Plagg," Adrien smirked, "you are a genius. I'm so glad that you are my friend."

 _()_

 _Nothing!_ Marinette sighed, placing her phone back on her lap.

Munching, much too anxiously, Marinette hurriedly swallowed another bite of her sandwich. She had been waiting all day! All day for that stupid cat to reply, and she made it all the way to lunchtime without receiving a single message.

He had gotten her letter - Tikki had assured Marinette of that. But what was taking him so long?

"No! I want to be Ladybug! This time _you_ can be Chat!"

Marinette looked up, noticing two girls sitting in front of the tire swing - a pout plastered on the face of the girl who had clearly just spoken.

 _Coming to the park was such a great idea!_ Marinette sarcastically thought. _You will enjoy the weather, I said. Things will be peaceful, I said._

She should have known that coming to this park would not help keep Adrien off her mind: they often ate lunch in this park together. It was a beautiful place, filled with heartwarming little creatures, beautiful faunage, and 'usually' happily playing kids. The playground was positioned only a few yards away from the bubbling stream where Marinette currently sat. She had thought watching the children play would be a welcome distraction, but she had never expected to hear them talking about Ladybug and Chat.

"You know I can't be Chat." The other girl spat. "Only you are dumb enough to come up with his stupid puns."

 _What are these two going on about?_ Marinette lazily wondered. _Chat's puns really aren't_ that _bad._

"Come on Nikki," the first girl fought back. "I'm tired of playing Chat. He doesn't _do_ anything! Ladybug is the one that always saves the day!"

Marinette frowned. Was this what people really thought about Chat?

"I know," Nikki crossed her arms. "Maybe we don't even need a Chat. Like you said… he's useless. This time you could just be the villain instead. At least then you would at least be able to have some fun."

 _Useless!_ Marinette raged inside her head. No one should talk about her partner like that.

Placing her sandwich back in its bag, she stood, wiped off her dress, and walked over to the still arguing kids.

"Excuse me," Marinette forced herself to politely say. "But I think you've got it all wrong. Ladybug is no better than Chat."

"Yea right!" the first girl hastily replied. "I have to play his part every time, and I can tell you right now that he is nothing compared to Ladybug!"

Marinette sat down so that she could look the young girl in the eye. "Hmm… I just don't think that you are playing the part right."

The two girls laughed and then Nikki, the girl who always played Ladybug and who ironically had green eyes and blonde hair pointedly said, "What more could she do? Sarah makes puns and follows me helplessly around the entire time we play."

Sarah, who had black hair and dark brown eyes, simply frowned in reply.

"Helpless?" Marinette furrowed her brow. "Chat Noir is the bravest, most fearless superhero about."

The girls began to giggle, but Marinette cut them off. "You think I'm lying? Well… I happen to be a personal friend of Ladybug and Chat Noir, and I can tell you with complete certainty that Ladybug wouldn't be much of anything without the help of Chat."

She took in a deep breath, trying to think of the right words to say. "Do you know how many times Chat risked his life in order to protect Ladybug? If it wasn't for him, she would most likely be dead."

Marinette closed her eyes as the depths of her words were beginning to sink in. She had always believed these things about Chat, but this time these words didn't only describe him…

"You see," Marinette continued, trying to maintain eye contact with the two of them, "Chat knew that Ladybug's power was needed in order to fix everything that had been broken. She was also the only one who could cleanse the akuma."

"I told you he couldn't do anything!" Sarah interrupted.

"Let me finish," Marinette firmly said. "You're right. His power couldn't ultimately be what saved the day, and that's what made his role so much more dangerous and that much more important."

As she spoke, Marinette tried picturing Adrien as her heroic friend - an idea which was still too crazy for her to fully accept.

"Not only did he have to try to protect himself and the civilians, but he knew that Ladybug had to saved above everything else. Unfortunately for him, that meant that he often had to put his life on the line instead. I can't even count the number of times that he allowed himself to be hurt or affected by the akuma in place of Ladybug. Others may have seen those times as weakness or even failure, but I can assure you that Chat never once failed to protect his lady. His sacrifices always lead to Ladybug winning in the end."

Marinette paused, heart squeezing at the fact that all of those things had been done by Adrien.

Adrien had been the one who had jumped in front of her, allowing himself to be frozen in time. He had been the one who had willingly gotten zombified just so she could catch up with the villain, and Adrien had been the one who had almost died right before Hawkmoth's disappearance. But everytime, Ladybug had been able to save him. Chat never had any doubt that she would.

No wonder Adrien had been so willing to leap into her arms when Ladybug had asked him if he trusted her. Adrien had always had complete faith in his partner just like she had with him.

"So…" Marinette concluded, "don't you think even for a second that there could be a Ladybug without Chat. Hawkmoth would have won long ago if it wasn't for him."

Nikki and Sarah sat stunned for a few seconds, then out of the blue Nikki stood and said, "I am going to be Chat Noir this time! I look more like him anyway."

"No way," Sarah commanded, "you said that I'm the only one that can make puns like him. I'm definitely being Chat Noir again."

Marinette smiled. Although she didn't like the fact that the girls were fighting again, she was proud of what she had accomplished. If anyone deserved to be fought over, it would be Adrien.

He truly was amazing.

With butterflies in her stomach, Marinette returned to her picnic. She could barely believe it, but she was falling deeper and deeper in love with Adrien. On top of everything that she had already known, she now now knew just how selfless, strong, and incredibly courageous he truly was.

He was Chat Noir, her partner, her best friend.

Looking down at her phone, Marinette's stomach nearly leapt out of her throat. She had a new message.

[PunMaster668]: Brilliant play, my lady, sending your Kwami straight to me with your reply. Don't tell me you attempted to follow her on her way in.

Marinette couldn't even attempt to stifle her laugh. It had been so long since she had been able to so freely talk with Chat. Even knowing that she was really just talking to Adrien, she couldn't help but to pull out her Ladybug sass.

[LuckyCharm13]:Of course not. What do you take me for? Some kind of spy?

She leaned back, watching the girls play. Nikki had clearly obtained the roll of Chat. Marinette was contempt… the mid afternoon sun warmed her cheeks… the laughter of the happy children and the peaceful lullings of the bumbling stream filled the air. It was all so peaceful - so perfect.

The phone buzzed in her hand, making her jump.

Right. She was talking to Chat.

Everything really was perfect.

She quickly unlocked the screen, her body quivering with the excitement of receiving a new message.

[PunMaster668]: I would never imply such a thing… =^_^=

 _Sure_ … Marinette scoffed, hurriedly typing her response.

[LuckyCharm13]: Good. But geez it took you long enough to reply to my letter, silly kitty. I've been bored all day just waiting for you.

[PunMaster668]: Oh, really? (;

Not that I am not flattered, but shouldn't you be working?

Marinette looked at the time at the top of her screen. She was already five minutes late to getting back to work.

 _Crap! Distracted by that stupid cat!_

Hurriedly, she tossed her phone in her purse, packed her things, and scurried out of the park and down the street. Her mind was racing. There were so many things that she wanted to say to Chat. Should she tell him that she discovered his secret identity? Maybe she should tell him how important he has always been.

How she never wanted to be apart from him again.

And how much… she _loved_ him.

Yes, Marinette was in love with Chat Noir! This simple yet earth rattling fact was something that she wanted to shout to the entire world.

Her legs were burning and her lungs stung from a lack of fresh air. It had been a long time since she had been forced to run this fast, but honestly she didn't care. She was electric - her body tingled and shuddered with the overwhelming sensation of the amount of love that she felt. She didn't even know it was possible to love someone this much - to love them so much that it almost hurt. These feelings for Adrien and Chat had always been there, but now that they were put together, it was almost as if their intensity had multiplied instead of just being added together. It was almost too much for her body to bear.

 _SLAM!_

Marinette crashed to the ground.

She couldn't see anything... her body was pinned down… angry, screeching tires skidded almost to a halt, but then sped back away, quickly becoming a fading, distant sound.


	26. Chapter 26: Advice

OnlyHere4Puckabrina: Getting these two to admit anything is like asking a dishwasher to sing. Haha!

Apostrophe: Wow! Thank you so much! I have been working hard on character development the last few chapters. I felt like I didn't do well with it in the beginning. I'm glad you think I have been successful. Keep commenting. I love hearing from my readers. It lets me know that people are actually following the story. It also motivates me to write more.

Bleach power: Poor Adrien. So many emotions for one day.

Musica: Oops. Typos tend to slip at times. I wish I had a big reason for the numbers 668, but I just liked how they sounded.

ivysharonivysharon: I am thinking yes to both of those questions

7/18/18

Chapter 26: Advice

"Marinette! MARINETTE! Are you okay?"

The voice was coming from on top of her. Marinette groaned - the weight that had been pressing her down gradually shifted until it was completely gone. Had that been a person who had knocked her to the ground? Almost certainly, Marinette had thought she had been hit by a car, but now that she was lying face-flat on the ground, with only her rapidly beating heart and the slight pain from landing so hard, she could see she had not. Someone had saved her, albeit ungracefully, but hey, at least they managed to knock her out of the way.

Finally managing to open her eyes, Marinette could barely make out a pair of feet coming around. Everything was spinning - her chest squeezed tightly as she was being smothered by the grass.

She felt herself being lifted, gentle hands beneath her arms moving her into an upright position. Her body swayed, but was caught as those hands firmly placed themselves on her shoulders. Marinette wished she could see who was clearly in front of her, but the world still spun as if she had just gotten off a tilt-o-whirl.

"Geez Marinette, you're trembling and your forehead is soaking wet with sweat. Come on. You have got to get up. We can't just stay here in the grass."

That voice sounded familiar. Well, it should since this person knew her name. Marinette tried to focus on her savior's face, but everything was still out of focus. Slowly, the spinning seemed to be calming down - she could barely make out dark skin and slightly reddish hair.

"Are you hurt?" the voice asked, panic clearly rising. "I swear to Ladybug and Chat Noir if you are injured just because I knocked you down, I am seriously going to injure somebody."

There was only one person that would swear to Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"Alya?" Marinette sheepishly asked.

The gentle hands released her shoulders, instead pulling her into a tight warm embrace. "Of course," Alya cooed. "Who did you think I was? Just some random citizen? No one else gets to save _my_ best friend."

Marinette sighed, relief and a sense of calm sweeping through her bones. This hug was exactly what she needed - like listening to the first waves gently crashing against the seashore at the beginning of a much needed vacation. As the trembling of her body stopped, she backed away - noticing that once again her vision was sharp.

Sure enough, Alya was there, worry laced deep within her light brown eyes.

"So…" Marinette hesitantly began, scratching the back of her neck, "what exactly happened?"

Alya's eyes tightened, lips pursed as she spoke, "You mean you don't know? Marinette, you were almost hit by a car! It was barreling straight towards you. How could you not have even _noticed_ that? Girl, you have got to pay attention! You were extremely lucky that I was around!"

Alya stood, outstretching her hand, ready to help Marinette off the ground.

Marinette grabbed it, pulling herself up, and then dusted off her blouse as a faint dizziness swept over her once again. With a slight step, she stabilized herself - secretly hoping that Alya wouldn't notice.

"Speaking of," Marinette replied, "why _are_ you here?"

Alya crossed her arms and jutted out her hip. "Well, lucky for you," she sassily began, "I was just on my way to see M. Gabriel Agreste. I have to do an article on this new charity fundraiser that he is running. I was actually planning on stopping by to visit you first; I didn't expect to see you so soon."

"I'm glad that you did," Marinette wholeheartedly replied, her voice still a little shaken. "I didn't even hear that car. If it wasn't for you - well, I don't even want to think about what would have happened." Marinette shivered, trying to shove all the negative thoughts out of her mind. Had that really been an accident? Surely, no one had been attempting to take Marinette's life. Besides, it wasn't exactly as if she had a slew of enemies. She shook her head; paranoia would only fill her being with dread.

"Yea, about that," Alya said, grabbing Marinette by the arm and leading her across the street towards Marinette's place of work. "What had you so distracted that you couldn't even hear a car coming up right behind you? That's so irresponsible Marinette!"

"Um…" Marinette muttered, unsure of what she was supposed to say. Telling Alya that she had been thinking about Adrien being Chat was absolutely out of the question. But maybe she could give her something. It would be nice to share her feelings with someone. Even if she couldn't tell Alya everything. "Honestly, Alya, I was thinking about Adrien."

The two girls were now at the front entrance, but each of them hesitated to open the door. Alya turned to face Marinette.

"Oh my gosh!" Alya threw her hands on Marinette's shoulders, eyes wild. "I almost completely forgot about him! How is he doing? Is his head okay? Holy crap, I feel like a terrible friend. I didn't even check up on him after whacking him on the head. I was just so distracted with getting engaged that I neglected everyone else."

Marinette froze. With all of the excitement of taking care of Adrien and finding out he was Chat, she had not even thought about Nino's proposal. Alya wasn't the only person guilty of being a terrible friend.

"Don't worry about it," Marinette grinned, tilting her head with her eyes closed. "It looks like we have a lot to catch up on. Let's continue this conversation up in my office. How long do you have?"

"About an hour. Girl, I have got so much to tell you! But first of all, are you sure you're alright?"

()

Marinette shook her leg, hoping that no one important would pass by. She was supposed to be working. In fact, she had been pretty stressed about her upcoming deadline. Thankfully she had taken some time to work on her designs over the weekend, but that still didn't keep her from being nervous about being caught - she was usually such a dedicated worker; why did Alya have to show up right now?

Looking past Alya's shoulder, Marinette caught a glimpse of the clock. They had already been talking for about forty-five minutes. Thankfully, Marinette had been blessed with a small, yet private office. M. Agreste understood the importance of quiet and concentration for his designers. However, even though she had her own room, there was a large window with no blinds that opened up to the hallway, offering anyone who walked past a full view of her office. Marinette reminded herself that she could just pass off her time spent with Alya as an interview for her article, but she still felt guilty and secretly wished this hour would end.

It wasn't that Marinette wasn't enjoying their conversation, because she most certainly had. Once Marinette had fully convinced Alya that she was fine, besides maybe a few bumps and bruises, they had started things off by talking about Adrien. Marinette shared everything about their time together and his condition - obviously excluding one little fact. Then Alya took over, telling Marinette every little detail about her proposal. It had been perfect, and Alya was beyond head over heels in love.

Apparently the two love birds had spent the rest of the weekend together, which was why Marinette hadn't heard a single word from her. Knowing Alya hadn't even noticed her own lack of communication made her feel a bit better, but Marinette still wished she had thought of her best friend sooner.

"Okay," Alya's voice startled Marinette. She hadn't even noticed Alya had stopped talking until her voice disrupted the silence. "What's really going on? You've been totally distracted, and it seems like there is something else that you really want to talk about."

"Me?" Marinette squeaked. "Distracted? Of course not! I've said everything that I have to say."

Alya crossed her arms, giving Marinette a stern, knowing look. "Don't lie to me, girl. Ace reporter here. It's my job to sniff out lies, and _you_ , my friend, are a terrible liar."

Marinette sighed, realizing that her thoughts had never once strayed from Adrien, besides occasionally thinking about the oddity of the rogue car. Earlier, she had been ready to tell Alya about her newfound feelings towards him, but Alya had misinterpreted her intentions - thinking that Marinette had only been worried about his condition. "Is it that obvious?"

Alya threw her hands in the air. "Of course! Now tell me, what is on your mind?"

As if a filter had been torn off, Marinette could no longer hold back her fears. "I don't know how I am going to face Adrien," she blurted, planting her face in the palms of her hands.

"Okay…" Alya slowly began, walking over and comfortingly putting her hand on Marinette's shoulder. "I didn't expect that. What's going on? Did you two get in a fight?"

Marinette jerked her head up and waved her hands, frantically, in the air. "No! No, it's nothing like that. Everything is great! We are great. You don't need to worry about stuff like that!"

"Then what is it?!" Alya huffed, tapping her foot. She was clearly getting impatient.

Marinette looked at the clock. Alya only had about five more minutes until she had to leave. There was no time to go into detail, but she needed Alya's advice. It was one thing to talk to Adrien as Chat through messages, but something entirely different to speak with him in person.

"It's just," Marinette started. "It's just that I found out something about Adrien. Something that he had been trying to keep a secret."

Alya crouched so that her eyes could be level with Marinette's. "Is it bad?"

Marinette blinked. How could Alya even think that? "Of course not!"

Alya let out a deep breath in relief. "Well, that's good. What's the problem, then?"

The problem? The PROBLEM? How could Marinette possibly explain to Alya what the problem really was. Discovering that the person you love actually is a completely different person who you also love is not a common secret that is often kept. She couldn't tell Alya that everytime she sees Adrien from now on will come with the knowledge of actually knowing he is Chat.

"I-I don't know if I should try to confront him," Marinette answered. "Do I tell him that I discovered his secret? What if he wasn't ready for me to find out? How will he respond? Will he be happy that I know, or will it totally freak him out?"

Alya placed her hands on Marinette's knees, leaning forward, her face only inches apart from Marinette's. "Woah, girl calm down. Do you have to talk to him about it right now? Does this new information change how you feel about him?"

Marinette tried to back away, but her chair was pressed against the wall. She had never been comfortable when Alya invaded her personal space, but she couldn't do anything about that now. Residing to the fact that Alya wouldn't ease up until she talked, Marinette responded with exasperation.

"Of course it changes how I feel about him! I'm in love with him even more! There's so much more to him than I ever knew and it's overwhelming. I love him so much that it almost hurts to breathe, yet I'm terrified to tell him. This was his secret to tell, you know, and I don't want to take that away from him. Besides, I'm afraid that if we open up about this, things will change, and I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that."

Alya finally backed away, just as Marinette knew she would. Standing, Alya turned aside, fingers pressed against her temples as she began to pace the room.

"Okay. I'm not even going to pretend like I understand anything that you are talking about," Alya hummed in frustration, "but it sounds to me, girl, like you've already got your answer figured out."

Marinette scooted to the edge of her chair, clutching the tip of her seat between her fingers. "I do?"

"Yea," Alya continued pacing. "Whatever this new, secret, piece of information is, it's big enough to have an impact on your relationship. If you're happy the way things are, then it would be better to just keep quiet."

She paused. Then looked straight at Marinette. "Mare, you don't have to rush into this. Let things settle themselves out. When Adrien is ready to take that next step, I promise you he will tell you himself. But until then, do you really want to force it out of him? You and I both know that things will turn out better if you are both ready to move on. So… follow your gut. Be patient, and everything will work out."

Marinette jumped out of her seat, catching Alya in a passionate, yet lopsided, hug. "Thank you Alya. That is exactly what I needed to hear."

"No prob," Alya said, hugging Marinette contentedly back. "Anything for my best friend."

The girls stayed in that hug for as long as they could, but before they knew it, their time was up, and Alya left. Marinette sat down at her desk and opened up her designs. She had a lot to do in a short amount of time.

 _Bzzt - Bzzt_

Marinette's phone lit up on her desk.

 _No_. Marinette told herself. _I have way too much work to do. I am not going to look at that._

She picked up her pencil, placing it on the paper to continue her sketch. She glanced back over at her phone then forced herself to return her eyes to the paper. Her pencil was not moving. Not a single idea popped into her head.

Marinette took in a deep breath, trying to clear her mind - the constant stream of buzzes from her phone making her unable to concentrate.

 _Fine!_ She finally conceded. _I'll just take a quick look. It won't take_ that _long._

Desperately, she reached for her phone and unlocked the screen. Her jaw dropped to the floor. She had ten missed messages.

[PunMaster668]: Seeing as of your lack of response, I take it that you went back to work.

[PunMaster668]: Okay. I know you are working, but this cat is bored.

[PunMaster668]: Seriously, you still haven't looked at your phone? Weren't you the one that had been waiting to talk to me all day?

[Adrien]: Hey, Marinette. How's it going?

[PunMaster668]: Alright, my lady, you must be really busy. I guess this cat has to know when to _paws_.

[Adrien]: Do you even know how boring it is to be stuck at home all day? I look forward to seeing you this evening.

[PunMaster668]: But seriously… are you okay? I would hate to think that something happened to my bugaboo.

[Adrien]: Is everything alright? You never take this long to respond.

[PunMaster668]: OH NO! IT'S THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! SAVE ME LADYBUG!

[PunMaster668]: Still nothing? I really thought that last one would work…

Marinette was laughing so hard tears stung at her eyes. Adrien was such a dork! And apparently desperate to talk to her. It was cute. Slightly annoying - but cute.

Another message popped up on her screen.

[PunMaster668]: Oh my gosh! Plagg has the stinkiest farts.

Marinette was about to die; she couldn't breathe.

[PunMaster668]: He's my kwami.

[PunMaster668]: He has eaten too much cheese today.

Even though this was somewhat entertaining, Marinette wasn't so sure she could take much more of this. Her fingers flew across the screen.

[LuckyCharm13]: Please stop

[PunMaster668]: She's alive! Igor… She's alive!

[LuckyCharm13]: Well, I almost wasn't. Good thing luck is always on my side.

[PunMaster668]: What happened? I knew there was something to be worried about.

[LuckyCharm13]: Oh you know. The usual. I was almost hit by a car.

[PunMaster668]: WHAT?!

[LuckyCharm13]: I'm okay. Someone pushed me out of the way. It's nothing to be worried about. Now if you'll excuse me, I really need to get back to work.

Marinette put her phone back down. She was glad that she had told Adrien about that particular incident as Ladybug rather than Marinette. Obviously, he would worry about his partner, but he would freak out if he found out that actually happened to Marinette. Marinette just hoped that Alya wouldn't say anything to him. That would immediately make her regret her decision.

()

Adrien was sick and tired of doing nothing all day besides laying around in his bed. He was sore from continually laying in the same positions and he wasn't sure if his body could handle getting any more 'rest.' It was already six o'clock, and Marinette would be heading over at any minute. He hadn't heard a single thing from her since she had given him her arrival time, and he was starving for more communication.

That morning, he had taken so long to even send her that first message - he had been trying to process everything that had happened. Plagg kept complaining about how melodramatic he was being, and kept urging for him to go ahead and just send that message.

But he couldn't.

His mind was reeling with newfound information.

Every little akuma attack, and every little pathetic explanation. It was swirling within his head as he tried to reconcile the fact that Ladybug was Marinette. He tried placing Marinette's face into every conversation that he had with Ladybug. Her face seemed to fit, but the knowledge that all those times spent together with Ladybug was actually time with Marinette was hard for him to accept.

Besides, what would this mean for their relationship? Would they just openly acknowledge each other as Ladybug and Chat? As far as Marinette knew, he knew nothing about her identity. It wasn't like he could just walk up and say, 'hi Ladybug!' That would totally freak Marinette out.

Then there was the question of him owning up to being Chat. Should he tell her that he knew she figured it out? How would he even begin such a conversation? And then, of course, there was the problem of knowing how to act once he openly declared himself as Chat. He had never had to be Adrien and Chat at the same time - always trying to keep the two personalities separate. Who would he become once there was no more barrier to hold him back? Would there be more Adrien, Chat, or a perfect blend of the two. It was all so confusing and he just wasn't sure if he was ready to face any of that.

After a long morning of not being able to make any decisions, he finally decided that he could at least talk to Ladybug as Chat. Nothing had to be revealed about their identities just yet. Besides this would give him more of an opportunity to confirm that Ladybug really was Marinette.

Once he had started texting, he couldn't stop. Okay, maybe he had gone a little overboard with the spamming when she didn't respond, but he couldn't help himself - he was having too much fun. But learning that Marinette had almost been hit by a car, certainly put a damper on his mood. He should have been there; he should have been the one who saved Marinette. He was furious at himself for being stuck in the bed all day, but decided that he would have to thank whoever it was who had pushed Marinette out of the way. If something had actually happened to her because he was not around, he wasn't so sure if he could ever forgive himself.

Adrien stood, no longer able to force himself to stay in bed, and began to walk around. No sooner than his third footstep hit the ground, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Pulling it out, he saw that is was a call from Marinette. Eagerly he accepted the call.

"Good evening, princess. You couldn't wait just thirty more minutes to come and see your knight."

"Don't flatter yourself so much," she dryly retorted. "I just wanted to know how you wanted me to cook your steak. Everything else is nearly ready, and the steaks will get a chance to rest on my walk over there."

"Mmmm," Adrien licked his lips, "sounds delicious. I like mine rare."

Marinette giggled. "I should have known. Hold on a second; I'm going to turn on speakerphone. I need to get the steaks in the pan."

"Okay," Adrien answered, but he could tell that Marinette was already gone. He could hear the sound of oil sizzling and steaks hitting the pan. In the background, he heard a slamming sound.

"Marinette," Adrien heard her mother call, "did you happen to see your father messing around in this cabinet? He left it open. If Tom's going to try and find the anniversary present I got for him he's got to be more subtle about it."

Adrien smiled. Tom and Sabine were so cute. Leave it to Tom to make his attempts at searching for his present so obvious. The number one rule to snooping - always leave things exactly how you found…

 _OHMYGOSHOHCRAP!_ Adrien screamed in his head as he ran over to his dresser. He did not shut that drawer the other day. Someone else obviously had.

Throwing the drawer open, he prayed that his intuition was wrong - but as he dug through all his underwear and socks, his heart sank to his feet as he discovered that he was not.

The butterfly miraculous was gone.


	27. Chapter 27: Afraid

OnlyHere4Puckabrina: Yes! Those messages were fun to write.

Apostrophe: Thank you! I'm glad you think the conversations flow well. You're right, they are never premeditated. I write them in the moment and flow of the story.

ivysharonivysharon : I actually am working on a one shot, but it does have the miraculous. It's actually a spin off of this story. Same beginning: very different story. I can't wait to post it for you guys! What kind of non miraculous one shot should I try?

katieykat: Me either. Alya for the win!

mareed0389: Thanks for joining me in this adventure! and...you think my writing is captivating? Wow that's amazing. Thank you so much!

8/8/18

Chapter 27: Afraid

"Isabella!" a woman's voice shouted. "It's almost dinnertime. You need to eat with the family tonight."

A lanky girl with long dark hair and tired brown eyes spun around in her chair, looking to make sure that the locks were firmly fastened on her bedroom door. Every evening that wretched woman tried to make her come downstairs, and if there was anything she hated more than Marinette or even Ladybug, it was spending time with family. However, today, in particular, Isabella's mood was extremely foul. Her plan had gone astray, and now she had to figure something else out.

"I'm not hungry," she sharply replied, making sure her voice could clearly be heard without opening the door. "And I told you, my name is Izzy! Quit calling me Isabella!"

Frustrated, the teenage girl stood from her chair, stomping across the darkened room. She leaned her head against her wall, and placed her hand on one of her posters. Her lips were tight with frustration and her heart ached. Even still, she knew it wasn't time to give up. Good things couldn't come unless you worked for them. And he was the only good thing she'd needed for a long time now.

"Soon, my prince," Izzy cooed, "you will be all mine."

She leaned forward, pressing her lips against a picture of a blonde model posted on the wall.

"I may have failed you today," she continued, stroking yet a different picture of a young boy in a black suit - his face covered in a mask. "But I promise you that I won't mess it up next time."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, making her roll her eyes. She hated trying to pretend like she had friends. In the past, every time she thought she had made a friend, they would always end up stabbing her in the back: practical jokes, making her the laughing stock of the school, cyberbullying - nothing was new. Everybody tried to control her - no matter how hard she tried. Nothing Izzy ever did mattered; others always chose her place in life.

No one, besides Adrien, would ever make her happy by being by her side. She knew, from years of observation, that Adrien could never betray someone he was close to, no matter how much that person screwed up. Heck, he had forgiven his own father for being Hawkmoth for crying out loud. Once she managed to build a relationship with Adrien, he would be hers for eternity.

"Hello," she chipperly greeted the person on the phone, internally gagging at the disgustingly cute tone of her own voice.

"Izzy, my dear," the voice on the other end replied. "I hate to be calling you this late, but do you think you could cover my shift tonight? I forgot I had promised to eat dinner with Sabrina's parents. They would be devastated if I couldn't make it."

Izzy internally groaned. "Chloe!" she fakely responded with cheer. "I would be glad to help. What time was your shift supposed to start?"

"6:30," Chloe hastily responded. "Izzy, you really are the best! Thank you!"

"I know I am! Just make sure you enjoy that dinner. Goodbye."

Izzy sighed in relief as the phone call went dead. Trying to stay in Chloe's good graces was beginning to wear her thin. But Izzy needed to keep Chloe happy: she was the perfect source of information on everything Adrien. In fact, that was the only reason why she had taken this tireless job of being a barista - the things she had learned from Chloe had been invaluable thus far. Everything would have been perfect if it weren't for that pestering Marinette. That insufferable girl messed up all her plans of helping Chloe reconnect with her old friend, Adrien. _She_ was supposed to be with Chloe every step of the way, and then she herself would have gotten close to Adrien due to her help in reconnecting the old friends. But it happened without her, and in the meantime, Adrien had even managed to pick up a disgustingly ordinary girlfriend.

And if Izzy knew one thing about Adrien, it was he would never, under any circumstances leave Marinette. Izzy knew what she had to do. Marinette needed to be forcibly removed from the equation.

 _Fine_. She had thought, once she had seen them together that fateful day. _I guess I am going to have to go with plan B. I will take the power to control my_ own _life, first. Then I'll create my happy ending with Adrien. I will be the one there to pick up the pieces as he grieves his late girlfriend._

And plan B had thus far been an overwhelming success. Learning when Adrien would be away from his home was a piece of cake, and sneaking in through his unlocked window had been even easier. It took her less than five minutes to discover what she had been looking for and even less for her to make her escape.

Now that this long awaited power was resting within her hands, Izzy would stop at nothing to make sure that each and every one of her goals was a success.

This morning had gone perfectly, well besides the fact that she had failed to kill Marinette. That stupid Bridgette girl, one of her past so called 'friends,' had ended up right in jail. Having her steal that car had been the perfect plan. So what if the useless girl failed in her goal? She ended up facing the punishment she so rightfully deserved.

Once Izzy no longer needed Chloe, she would meet a similar end, but until that moment arrived, Izzy had no choice but to continue on pretending to be her friend. Besides, there were plenty of other despicable opponents who Izzy could devastate until then - it's amazing how many traitorous witches a girl could meet in only sixteen years of existence.

"That Marinette doesn't stand a chance," Izzy spoke to a small lavender colored creature sitting on her bed. "She's going to regret standing in the way of all my carefully crafted plans."

"Champagne, Monsieur Agreste?"

Adrien's eyes focused on the waiter in front of him, dressed in a black tuxedo and white apron, a tray of bubbling champagne perched in his right hand. If he hadn't said anything, Adrien never even would have noticed the man - his eyes had been scanning the crowd for Marinette.

An entire four days had passed since Adrien had discovered Marinette's secret. And speaking with her since then had been a rarity that Adrien could no longer stand.

That first evening together had been brutal; both of them could hardly form a proper sentence, stuttering and spluttering every other word, and avoiding almost every glance accidentally poised in the other's direction.

But as soon as Marinette left his house, Ladybug infiltrated his phone with a stream of messages.

 _So, that's how this is?_ He had thought as he eagerly responded to her texts. _So she has no problem with speaking to Chat Noir? But can't get a sentence out near Adrien?_

 _Well_. He had conceded. _It's not as if she was completely at fault. We were both acting ridiculous._

When Adrien saw Marinette the next morning, he had hoped things would be back to normal - heck they had stayed up way past midnight texting - but sure enough, as soon as he waved at her from a distance, she merely smiled and turned away, leaving Adrien completely dejected.

Of course the pair furtively kept in contact the entire day as Ladybug and Chat, but it was abundantly clear Marinette had been avoiding Adrien, even if she did have the excuse of having to finish her designs for the charity event that weekend.

Adrien wished he knew how break the awkwardness between them, but figured giving her some more time to think would be the best solution. Besides, it wasn't as if he had completely figured things out himself; distance would be good for them both - at least until he could learn to settle his emotions.

Besides, on top of everything, there was still the issue of the stolen miraculous. He was nowhere closer to finding the culprit with no ideas as to who it could've been, except for a terrifying thought that his dad might've gone back to trying to save his mom. But Adrien didn't really think that was the answer - it had to be someone else. How on earth was he supposed to bring this up to Ladybug?

Wednesday had started with a bang - both literally and figuratively. Adrien had just gotten out of his car, enjoying the scent of the freshly cut grass and looking forward to what the day had to offer him, when he saw a young woman lose control of her bike and crash into an unstable structure of scaffolding. He had already started sprinting towards the scene when he saw the frame lose its balance, toppling over, heading straight towards Marinette. With a cat-like speed, Adrien crashed into Marinette, somehow managing to knock her out of the way, miraculously holding on to her while maintaining his balance.

He stood with Marinette held firmly within his arms, heart pounding, adrenaline flowing, surges of electricity bolting through his body - a sensation in the like he had never experienced before. It was the closest he and Marinette had been since before they had discovered each other's identities, and the contact was excitingly jolting, yet somehow comfortingly warming.

Adrien couldn't revel in this pleasant feeling. For the second time in three days, Marinette had nearly been met with disaster.

After the pair managed to calm down, Marinette once again swiftly retreated without saying anything - except that she needed to get back to work and she wouldn't be available any evenings until after the event on Friday.

Knowing there was nothing he could do to get closer to Marinette, Adrien resolved to leave her alone until Saturday - a decision which had him nearly dying inside: all he wanted was to get closer to his lady. This week had given him the opposite - sure, the two had kept up their playful banter through messaging - but he wanted more.

Speaking to Ladybug was one thing, but it was Marinette he was desperately missing. Ever since she had discovered he was Chat, Marinette had closed that part of herself off. Adrien didn't know if she had done this out of fear, shyness, or even just because she really was that busy, but he knew one thing: he loved this girl with all his being and he couldn't stand only being allowed to speak with one side of her identity. He wanted her all, but he was only being offered a small piece of her.

Regardless of how he felt, Adrien had stuck perfectly to his plan. He would have made it, if it hadn't been for the incident that happened just a few hours before this evening's auction.

His father had chosen to let his employees go home early in order to prepare themselves for the evening events. Adrien had somehow gone the entire morning without seeing Marinette, and was delighted to catch sight of her just a few meters ahead, as she was exiting the building.

A small summer storm had just finished, leaving puddles in the parking lot and small bits of debris scattered on the ground. Adrien found it cute how Marinette hopped around, avoiding as much water as she could. A large grin spread across his face as he noticed the giant puddle surrounding her car. He had been looking forward to seeing how she would avoid getting wet, that was until he noticed something black in the background.

 _Is that a powerline hanging?_ He instantly thought to himself, walking to the side to get a better view.

And sure enough, there it was. A broken powerline, somehow severed perfectly in two, dangling in a giant puddle of water that just so happened to be -

"Marinette! STOP!" He had screamed, just before she took that final step. The step that would have filled her entire body with electricity, giving her an excruciatingly painful death.

Adrien knew at once these 'accidents' weren't random. It took everything within him to keep himself from blowing up with rage. But he had to stay composed: he had to get Marinette home safely.

He drove without hardly saying a word - his mind buzzing as he tried to process the situation.

Someone was after Marinette.

Someone was trying to hurt his lady.

Why now?

Who would want to harm her?

Was there anything that had happened that might give him some kind of hint? Something he was missing?

Missing…

The miraculous!

It had been stolen just two days before the first attack.

Could the two events be related? Did these attacks have something to do with the stolen item? Surely Hawkmoth could control people's actions, but could they really be manipulated without creating a devastatingly obvious akuma?

When he finally arrived at the bakery, Marinette thanked him for the ride, telling him Alya would drive her to the auction that evening.

And now, here Adrien was, desperately searching through the crowd, looking for any signs of Marinette. He had to speak with her - he had to tell Marinette about the missing miraculous. Even if that meant owning up to everything: including the disgraceful truth about his father's past.

The waiter extended the tray closer to Adrien, obviously either waiting for an answer or for the model to just hurry up and grab a drink. Adrien snapped to attention at the gesture.

"Oh, sorry Phillip," Adrien read the name from the waiter's name tag. "Thanks for offering, but I think I will skip out on drinking for tonight."

The waiter simply nodded as he hurried off to other guests.

Immediately, Adrien went back to his searching - a task which he thought might take all evening. The auction was being held in the large ballroom of Le Grand Paris - a beautiful room with red floral walls, lavishly designed brown and white tile flooring, and large windows all around. Crowds of people were closely gathered, making it hard to find anyone, let alone someone so small and petite.

He moved over to the spiral staircase which wrapped around a beautiful glass elevator. Adrien casually ascended a few of the stairs, scanning the crowd to see any sign of Marinette. Off near the catwalk, he could see a group of people gathered around his father, but not of them was Adrien's bluenette.

Adrien cleared his throat, wishing a waiter would come by with water instead of the usual alcoholic drinks. His mouth was dry and his palms were already sweating.

 _What if she doesn't want to come with me?_ He worried - imagining Marinette enjoying all the festivities. Speaking with Marinette in the middle of a big event like this was not the smartest of plans, but Adrien didn't want to take any chances. If someone truly was after Marinette, then there was a great chance that person might attack this evening. A large crowd would be the perfect place to blend in - to cause something terrible to happen while being able to quickly flee.

No. Adrien couldn't allow that to happen. Not at least without properly warning Marinette. She needed to be ready to protect herself, to be vigilant, and not so trusting of everybody. He left the stairs, heading back towards the entrance. If she wasn't already here, then it would be easier to find her as she was walking in.

()

"Marinette, why are you so nervous? You look amazing!"

Sporting a red, long sleeved, backless dress, Marinette would surely be the talk of the evening. Opting for a slightly more casual look, she kept her hair down, while donning a black pair of ballet flats.

Marinette glanced over at her eager reporter friend, with her camera strapped around her neck, hips swaying as the two girls walked through the main lobby of the hotel. Alya was wearing a shimmering gold cocktail dress: it was sleeveless with a thin golden belt around the waist. Her hair was pulled back in a messy looking bun, which only Alya could pull off as amazing.

This was this first time Alya had been invited to one of these events, and Marinette was thankful her best friend was with her this particular evening. It wasn't as if she could easily face Adrien, not with how she had been acting.

Truthfully, she was quite embarrassed with her behavior: the distance she stupidly created was cowardly. Avoiding him wouldn't change the fact he was Chat, and being nervous around him was silly. He was still Adrien - that man she loved - and her actions were doing nothing but hurting them both.

Knowing she was acting foolish was one thing. But the thought of actually facing Adrien, talking to him while knowing he is Chat was something else entirely. She couldn't get a single sentence out around him; it was like high school Marinette had taken over her body. Having Alya around would be a perfect distraction! She could even speak for Marinette like the old days if it came down to it. This would be easy. Marinette didn't need to worry.

"Uh," Marinette faltered. She should be honest with Alya; at least about her her fears - not involving the Adrien related ones, of course. "I'm not worried about how I look Alya, I'm just nervous at seeing my designs being shown to the world. This is the first time M. Agreste has chosen to put my work on the runway. And not only that, but they are being auctioned off as one of a kind pieces right away."

Marinette stopped, body rigid, as she stared at the ballroom's main entrance. "What if the people don't like them? What if no one bids? I will be the laughing stock of the fashion industry, and M. Agreste would have no choice but to fire me!"

Alya turned to face her best friend, hands immediately flying to Marinette's shoulders. "Girl, you have got to get a grip," Alya demanded. "Your work is going to be the best stuff out there! Believe me. I've seen it. You are going to be making The Miracle Foundation a _lot_ of money."

"Now let's get in there!" Alya shouted, shoving Marinette through the doors and straight into the arms of -

"Adrien!" Alya happily greeted as Adrien stumbled backwards, trying to regain both his and Marinette's balance. "I didn't think Marinette would run into you so soon. But now that it's happened, I must say you two do make an adorable pair. Say cheese!"

 _FLASH!_

The shutter of Alya's camera took off in a flurry, capturing Marinette and Adrien in a myriad of awkward poses. First, there were the pictures where the two clung together for dear life to keep from falling, leading into the pictures as they straightened up - these were the best by far - eventually ending in the ones where Marinette desperately lunged at Alya with a distraught looking Adrien standing in the background.

"Cut it out, Alya!" Marinette seethed through her teeth, trying to keep herself from shouting. "This is a prestigious event. Please stop trying to make a spectacle out of my relationship with Adrien."

Alya giggled, then poised herself as she spoke using her most professional sounding voice, "You're the one causing a scene, Marinette. I was just trying to get a picture of M. Agreste's most promising rising designer and his son who has just recently returned to the modeling scene. Now, if you two don't mind, act like you like each other and smile for the camera."

Marinette pouted as Adrien walked back up to her side. She hated losing to Alya, but she knew she had no choice but to comply. Alya's logic was sound, and Marinette knew the overvalient reporter would stop at nothing until she got the picture she wanted.

After several moments without Alya snapping a single picture, the giddy reporter finally lowered her camera. "Is this it?" she frowned. "What part of act like you like each other did you not hear? Geeze, you two look like a couple of cooty fearing high schoolers being forced to dance together. Just look at yourselves! You're standing a foot apart and as straight as sticks!"

Alya walked towards the now blushing couple, placing her hands on each of their outside shoulders, pushing them towards each other as she continuously spoke. "I can't believe we are back in the same ballroom, and I am still having to push you two closer together."

Alya moved towards Adrien, placing his hands in the pockets of his jeans, while unbuttoning the top two buttons of his grey polo and making sure the lapels of his white, casually opened, jacket lay flat.

"You two looked so cute dancing together," Alya rambled on. "I could have strangled Chloe for switching the music and then akumatising her own butler."

Pleased with Adrien's position, Alya turned her focus to Marinette, placing her slightly behind Adrien with one arm propped on his shoulder and the other resting on her hip. Marinette's pulse quickened at her closeness with Adrien and the memory of their first dance. It had felt so natural being with him, and now she finally knew the reason why she had felt such ease near him.

"That was the first chance you two even remotely got to do something romantic together," Alya huffed, "and Chloe ruined your dance! Oh, bend your knee Marinette. This looks perfect."

Pleased with her work, Alya took a few step backs, placing her camera in front of her eye.

"Okay, smile Marinette. Adrien, I want you to do a closed lip grin. You two are a super fashion team, alright!"

Alya furiously snapped her camera, then smiled a large, toothy grin as she pulled the camera away. "Thanks, you two," Alya said, scanning through the screen on her camera. "These turned out perfectly. I can just about guarantee this will be my favorite shot of the night." Alya turned her camera off, letting it once again rest against her chest. "Now, I wish I could stay and chat, but duty calls." She turned on her heels, taking a step while looking over her shoulder, saying, "I'll catch up with you later, Marinette."

Marinette dropped her arms, allowing them to hang limply by her side. Alya wasn't supposed to ditch her. What was she supposed to do now that she was alone with Adrien?

"You know," Adrien casually started, stepping around to face Marinette, his hands still in his pockets, "I'm pretty bummed we never got to finish that dance. I guess I will just have to make it up to you, later."

Adrien's face sunk to the ground, an air on sadness about him made Marinette's heart clench. Was he really this sad about missing out on the rest of that dance? Or was there something else that had been upsetting him?

"I know you have been very busy," he looked up at her with big kitty-cat eyes, "and that now isn't a great time, but I need you listen to me. Please don't give me any excuses and come with me for a few minutes. I wouldn't ask this of you if it wasn't extremely important."

Marinette's throat cinched tight as she simply nodded in reply. He was upset because of _her_. She was the one who had been avoiding him, and even though she knew her actions might have been hurting Adrien, she never thought he would question her willingness to actually come with him. But who was she kidding? It wasn't as if she had ever truly confessed - not to the extent, and with the depth of emotion she should. If the roles had been reversed, and Adrien had been the one avoiding _her_ , she'd be a total wreck. Even though she had been talking to him constantly as Chat, Adrien didn't know _that_.

Marinette felt sick to her stomach. She needed to talk to Adrien about this: she needed to apologize.

"Adrien, I-"

"Then let's go," Adrien abruptly grabbed her hand, pulling her with him as he began to walk. "I've kept this from you long enough," he whispered, just loud enough for only her to hear.

Marinette barely registered being dragged through a crowd, passing serious faces, plates of hor devours, and the occasional few who tried to acknowledge her and Adrien's presence. Her pulse thrummed deafeningly in her ears - stomach knotted and churning.

 _Why now?_

She chanted repeatedly inside her head.

 _Is he seriously going to tell me he is Chat?_

The doors to the kitchen swung open, and Adrien lead her inside. Marinette gulped as she realized no one else was around. This was their moment, and no matter how scared or nervous she was, there was nowhere to hide.

Adrien swiftly turned to face her, causing her breath to hitch. And as Marinette stood, her hand still held in Adrien's grasp, she knew this most likely would be their last moment together as simply Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste.


	28. Chapter 28: Kitten

Thanks to everyone for being so patient. For those who are wondering, I do not have an updating schedule. This chapter took so long because I wanted to get it just right and I am a teacher who sadly just went back to school. Honestly, I may be on a bit of a hiatus for a while. I have to study for an exam for my teaching license. It's kind of important, and I haven't really started. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

8/27/18

Chapter 28: Kitten

"Not again!" Izzy shouted, angrily shoving all the books of her desk to the ground - her eyes transfixed on the child sized black bean bag chair sitting in the corner. "How does Adrien keep saving her? He keeps showing up even when he isn't supposed to be around! I thought Chat Noir was supposed to be unlucky, so why does he keep having such good luck?"

"Don't ask me." Nooroo drooped on the bean bag with eyes lowered in quiet gloom."The only miraculous holder I've ever known with such good fortune was Ladybug."

"Ugh!" Izzy groaned, throwing her head back and burying her hands in her hair. "Don't even get me started on Ladybug."

Not only had she failed at eliminating Marinette, but the article she wrote trying to draw out Ladybug had been a bust as well. If only she had the power of the miraculous when she had taken that picture, she would have gotten rid of Ladybug in that instant. But she had been powerless, and bashing her good name was the best she could come up with.

Once she found the butterfly miraculous, her plan had been to get rid of Marinette in secret; before Ladybug and Chat Noir could find out. Then, she would create a real, devastating akuma to take out Ladybug when Adrien was too emotionally overwhelmed to help her. Sure, losing two girls he had been in love with would break the poor boy, but it was nothing Izzy wouldn't be able to help him recover from. _She_ would be the one to glue them together, better than ever before. _She_ would be the one to create an unbreakable bond between her and the doleful blonde. Izzy would be the most powerful woman in the world, and she would be dating the son of the previous Hawkmoth.

Her vision was beautiful. No one would ever be able to betray her - not like they did in the past. No! This time she would be in control, and she would become even better than her all-time idol, Gabriel Agreste.

But so far, nothing was working. For some reason, she couldn't even manage to kill that stupid Marinette! She really _was_ lucky - almost as lucky as that disgusting Ladyb-

 _Wait._ A crazy thought stormed into her head. But almost as quickly as she had thought it, she dismissed the idea. There's no way things would be _that_ easy. Izzy sighed, catching a glimpse of the clock sitting on her nightstand.

"It's time," she softly spoke, spinning around to stare at the plump little creature who had spoken before.

"Isabella," Nooroo gently whispered, abandoning his position on the bean bag chair to speak with his charge face to face. "You don't have to do this."

"Why shouldn't I?" Izzy sharply responded, snatching the tiny kwami out of the air.

"My powers are supposed to be used for good! Not evil!" Nooroo squeaked, gasping for breath.

"I _am_ using you for good!" Izzy spat. "I'm trying to get my own happiness. What is wrong with that? Those girls who I sent to jail deserved what they got. That's called justice!"

"No!" Nooroo shoved one of Izzy's fingers away, mustering up all his courage and strength to shout. "That's called vengeance! And how can you justify killing Ladybug and Marinette? At least the last guy didn't want to kill anyone. Compared to you, he was a saint. You're just insane!"

Izzy tightened her grip, making Nooroo falter. "They are both in my way! You know I won't find happiness until I'm with Adrien. Their death is an necessity so I can fulfill my plan."

"I won't help you," Nooroo barely managed to say.

Izzy snarled, "Well, it's a good thing you don't have a choice. I'm done playing games. There will be no more simple mind controlling - this time I'm going to create a terrible akuma. I will draw out Ladybug, and kill Marinette." She turned towards the window, rubbed the butterfly brooch pinned on her black headband's side and said with a voice dripping with ice, "Nooroo, dark wings rise."

()

Marinette took a deep breath, trying not to think about the tingling from holding onto Adrien's hand. So many important moments had happened in this kitchen - this was where Lady Wifi had tried to remove her mask and it was the place where she had been trapped with a camera aimed towards her, almost revealing her identity.

So, was it fate, then, that this was the very place where Adrien had chosen to tell her everything? After all they had been through, would her secret as Ladybug still be revealed in this very kitchen?

Marinette felt Adrien squeeze her hand as he moved to stand in front of her, the pair instantly locking eyes, causing Marinette's heart to falter.

"Marinette, I-"

"Wait, Adrien," Marinette interrupted, reaching out to grab Adrien's other hand. "Before you say anything, I have to apologize. I have been acting stupid, and I can't stand the thought that I was hurting you."

Nearly a week had passed since she discovered the truth about Adrien, and ever since that awkward evening spent together, she had been avoiding him - not knowing what she should say. Being around him and acting like nothing had changed was impossible - there was no way she could ever act the same. Adrien was Chat Noir. How could she face him knowing he was her missing Alley Cat?

Adrien gave his signature model smile -a too well-practiced motion that Marinette had long since learned not to believe - while casually removing his white jacket and placing it on the counter, "I-it's okay Marinette. I understand."

Marinette stepped forward, closing the space between them. "Adrien, don't lie. There's no way you could possibly understand why I have been avoiding you."

Adrien took a step back, bumping against the counter, but Marinette pressed forward, forcing him to lean back.

"Then tell me," he gulped, his eyes serious as they stared her down.

"I-I," Marinette began, but what should she say now? Should she tell him that she knows he is Chat? But that was his secret to tell, besides was that even a good enough reason to explain her actions?

 _What should I say?_

" _Yea, Adrien. So... I actually figured out your Chat Noir._ Obviously _I have been afraid to face you!"_

" _But Marinette," Adrien would say. "Why don't you want to see me just because I'm Chat? Does that make you see me differently? Are you rethinking our relationship?"_

" _What? No! Yes! I don't know! I just don't know how to deal with this new information. Adrien, you're so much more than I could have ever imagined, and I can't handle how I feel when I'm around you! It's not the fact that you're Chat; it's that I love you!_

"Yes, Marinette?" Adrien's questioning voice brought Marinette back to the current situation and out of the conversation of her imagination.

Hastily, Marinette let go of Adrien's hands, taking a step back - shocked by the realization she had just had.

She hadn't been avoiding Adrien because she knew he was Chat! It was the fear of her own new and overwhelming emotions that was holding her back.

Everything had changed for Marinette in an instant; she went from being unsure of her feelings towards Chat and Adrien to loving this one perfectly amazing man with her whole heart. How could she face him when she knew he hadn't had that same kind of revelation? _He_ was still trying to sort out his feelings between her and Ladybug.

 _Arg! I'm a coward!_ Marinette thought. If only she had been brave enough to tell him of her identity, she wouldn't be facing this problem. But no, she hadn't told him, and now here she was, desperately in love with Adrien, but his feelings hadn't changed at for her all.

But that wasn't fair. Marinette had to admit to herself. She hadn't even given him a chance. He deserved to hear the truth. Hurting him like this was something she would no longer accept.

"Adrien," Marinette shyly began, grabbing onto her arm and looking to the ground. "I've been scared. Scared to face you. But it's not because of something you have done, but because of my own stupid emotions."

Marinette noticed Adrien shift uncomfortably as he hesitantly met her eyes with his own.

"What do you mean?" he nervously asked.

Marinette drew in a deep breath. She had to be brave: she must be honest.

Marinette looked into his eyes and found the strength she needed - those eyes had always encouraged her, whether it be in the midst of an akuma attack or a kind gaze from the boy who sat in front of her in class.

"It's just that," she awkwardly began while unconsciously rubbing her arm, "the last few days, I have found myself falling more and more for you. I was so afraid of my strengthening emotions, that I have avoided you instead of having to face them. I was scared if I got too close to you, I wouldn't be able to hold them back."

She paused, examining Adrien's eyes as they widened and somehow deepened. Adrien took in a deep breath to speak, but Marinette couldn't stop now; she had come this far. She had to finish!

"Marinette, I-"

"I love you, Adrien!"

Marinette held her breath, mouth still hanging wide open. She'd done it. She had finally told Adrien how she really felt about him. And now she felt like she was about to puke. What if he didn't feel the same way? It was impossible to tell from his current stunned expression.

It was as if time itself had frozen; Marinette had no way of knowing how long it had been since she had spoken her confession. Adrien's face somehow seemed to be a bit more flushed - his breathing quickened, but besides that, everything remained unchanged - with their eyes transfixed upon the other, silent, words unbidden.

Unable to hold her breath any longer, Marinette finally gasped for air, quite loudly, effectively breaking the stifling quietness lingering in the kitchen.

As if being broken from a trace, Adrien stepped forward - speaking in a hushed tone as a he swiftly obliterated any space between them.

"Y-you love me?" his voice quivered.

But Marinette wasn't ready for this sudden closeness. Breaking their gaze, she quickly backed away only stopping once she ran into the island in the center of the kitchen.

"I-I'm sorry," she shyly apologized, realizing she was sending Adrien the wrong message. "I shouldn't have done that."

"Are you afraid of being close to me?" Adrien asked as he looked to the floor, his eyebrows scrunched together and slightly lifted.

Marinette's eyes shot up, heart slightly breaking at Adrien's pained expression. "What? No!" she exclaimed. "I was surprised you got so close to me. Everything just feels so new, and I guess I got nervous."

Adrien rubbed his hands together as he looked back towards Marinette, a gentle grin spreading across his lips. "I know what you mean; I've been a nervous wreck, too."

Marinette dryly swallowed. His words sending her into further confusion.

"I-I don't underst-"

"Please let me finish," Adrien politely commanded, taking a step towards her - cautiously, as if he were trying to catch a stray kitten.

"You weren't the only one dealing with new emotions," he continued. "All week I let you skirt around me because I didn't know how to face you. I knew my feelings had deepended, and the thoughts of acting on those emotions was terrifying."

He took another step forward as Marinette's head spun at his confession.

"But, I'm not going to be afraid anymore. I've waited too long to officially make you mine, princess. I'm done with holding back, Marinette. I love you, too!"

In one final step, Adrien finally reached his destination - resting his hands on either side of the counter, face inches away from Marinette.

She had no choice but to lean back against the hard, cold surface, breath stopped, butterflies swarming throughout her stomach. Marinette had done everything in her power to avoid looking into those charming green eyes, knowing what kind of emotions they would unleash, but as they leaned in ever closer, full of passion and desire, she couldn't bring herself to break the connection.

His face was now directly above hers, bangs hanging, eyes glistening. His heavenly scent enveloped her making her knees weaken. If she didn't know any better, she would think that Adrien was about to - no, that wasn't possible.

He leaned in even closer.

 _Oh my goodness!_ Marinette screamed in her thoughts.

Grasping the fabric of Adrien's polo, Marinette held herself steady - feeling Adrien's heart beat furiously, matching her own in its strong, steady rhythm. Her eyes dropped to his lips - resulting in Adrien's sharp inhalation.

Biting his lower lip, Adrien faltered. Slightly backing away in hesitation, Adrien's eyes wondered. But before Marinette could even fully read into his trepidation, he placed his hands around her waist, gently yet firmly lifting her to the counter, sending a surge of excitement and longing throughout her body - as if nothing besides Adrien ever existed.

With a nervous grin, Adrien grabbed onto Marinette's wrists, delicately placing them around his neck.

"May I kiss you, Marinette?" his voice shook, eyes glistening in pure exhilaration.

But Marinette couldn't speak - simply nodding, hardly able to believe what was about to happen. She had dreamed of this moment since she was thirteen and now, it had finally arrived: she was about to kiss Adrien.

Offering his irresistible, lopsided grin, Adrien tenderly wrapped his arms around Marinette's waist, slowly closing the remaining distance.

Marinette shuddered at the warmth of his nervous breath against her skin. She shut her eyes. Just one more centimeter...

 _CRASH!_

Marinette's eyes shot open and Adrien stiffened.

Screams from the ballroom permeated into the kitchen.

Marinette released her grip from Adrien's neck, breath still ragged, pulse still racing. What was going on? Marinette hadn't heard screams like this since the days of Hawkmoth and his overuse of akumas. But this couldn't be _that_. Hawkmoth had disappeared. This had to be something different, and of all times for something like this to-

"My name is Early Finisher and I am looking for Ladybug!" A woman's voice echoed through the ballroom causing Marinette to quiver. This wasn't happening; all of this must be a dream: an almost kiss from Adrien immediately leading into an akuma attacking the charity auction. No. This wasn't real - this had to be a dream: a figment of her imagination. But she hadn't gone to sleep, and every detail from her day was too vivid. She felt as if her mind were trapped in a fog - overwhelmed by the sudden influx of emotions.

"This is bad," Adrien's voice pierced through Marinette's thoughts, bringing her back to focus on the present. "I'm sorry Marinette," Adrien spluttered as he turned to leave the kitchen, "but I have to go and…"

"Chat," Marinette said matter-of-factly, lunging from the counter as she grabbed Adrien's wrist - effectively halting his progression.

This wasn't how she had imagined giving her identity away, but the city needed them and she was tired of keeping secrets from Adrien. Besides if it had been left up to her, she may not have ever mustered the courage to say anything. As far as she had decided, she would have been just as content to keep sending messages to Chat and only facing Adrien as… well _Adrien_.

Okay. Marinette had to admit that method was kind of stupid. Eventually they would have to be honest. And, now that Marinette was being truthful with herself, she was kind of relieved that she hadn't kissed Adrien before revealing her secret.

She didn't want to just be Marinette kissing Adrien. No. Ladybug also needed to kiss her kitten. And he needed to know she was his Lady! Yes, a kiss like that would be perfect.

Marinette made up her mind. It was time to transform in front of Adrien.

"Do you trust me?" Marinette asked, her bluebell eyes shining - memories flooding her mind of the last time she had asked Adrien this question. His faith in Ladybug lead him to hurdling himself over the side of a building. But this time she was Marinette: would that unyielding trust be held within both her identities?

Adrien simply stood transfixed, eyes wide - had Marinette been wrong? What on earth was he thinking?

Just as she was about to give up on a response, Adrien smirked, giving Marinette the most Chat-like grin she had ever seen. "With my life, M'Lady," he said with a bow - "sorry for the delayed reaction; it took me a second to register what you were saying."

Marinette's heart nearly stopped beating. Even though she was clearly looking at Adrien; his mannerisms had morphed - like the flipping of a switch - without a doubt, this was Chat speaking. His sudden change was almost alarming. Yet, this wasn't the first time Marinette had seen this side of Adrien.

 _Why did it take me this long to see this?_ Her inner thoughts groaned. _He was literally right in front of me! He'll be so surprised once he finds out that I'm his..._

Wait.

Marinette stopped mid thought, only then just realizing that extent of what Adrien had just said.

 _Did he just call me my Lady?_

Adrien knew!

He knew she was his lady.

This wasn't a surprise. He had only been shocked because he realized she was going to reveal her identity.

Marinette tried not to freak out. How long had he known? How did he find out? Why hadn't he said anything? Was this why his feelings towards her changed?

If that was the case, then her behavior this past week had been even more stupid. But Marinette couldn't dwell on that right now. They were pressed for time, and hey, at least now she didn't have to waste that time on further explanations. Him already knowing her identity certainly sped things up. She would have to deal with the details of that later; right now they had a job to perform.

Adrien stood from his bow, patiently waiting for Marinette's command - a habit of Chat's that now had Marinette's head reeling. Because that loyal partner who had trusted her, followed her in everything, hadn't just been Chat: it had been Adrien. And once again, they were going to be the dream team.

"Then let's do this together," Marinette said with conviction. "Tikki!"

"Plagg!" Adrien eagerly corresponded.

"Transform me!" the two declared in unison, immediately becoming engulfed in the light of their transformations.

Knowing Adrien was Chat Noir and seeing the beginning of his transformation was entirely different. It was exhilarating to finally see the man she loved changing right in front of her. She had been right! Adrien was Chat and he was in love with her! In fact, he loved her so much, he was willing to let her watch him transform.

In an act of pure emotion - eight years in the making - Marinette grasped Adrien's face between the palms of her hands, pulling him towards her, the magic tingling throughout her body. She would finish what Adrien had started. No akuma was going to steal her first kiss - especially with her long lost partner.

Adrien swiftly responded, gathering Marinette within his arms - slightly lifting her, bringing her closer to his lips.

Magical swirls of green and pink danced around them as their transformations extended from their feet: it was different than the sequence of the normal transformation, but then again, there had been nothing normal about this evening.

Closing her eyes once again, Marinette smiled, standing on her tiptoes, then crashed her lips against his. Nothing in her life could have ever prepared her for this moment, the comforting feeling of Adrien's soft, warm lips moving in a gentle, tentative motion, the passion she had held deep within bubbling and overflowing causing her to press deeper - filling each of her movements with the greatest amount of love she could muster.

Marinette's fingers had long since woven themselves deep within Adrien's hair as they reluctantly separated. Panting and heartbeats racing, the giddy pair stared at each other in pure admiration - the smiles on their faces only continuing to widen.

Because the person standing in front of each of them was no longer just Marinette or Adrien.

No.

The absolutely lovestruck pair now caught in each other's stare was none other than Ladybug and her dorky felined partner.

Finally.

Finally! There were no more secrets underneath those masks.

Marinette's heart squeezed with love. Adrien and Chat Noir really were one and the same, and now she was finally getting to see him as one person. It had been so long since she had looked into those glowing green eyes. Her long absent partner nearly took her breath away as he stood right in front her, looking more handsome than she could have ever dreamed.

If ever Marinette had thought Adrien's level of handsomeness had reached near perfection, she had failed to realize what he would look like as an adult version of Chat. The haircut she'd given him during the long time they had spent together due to his concussion nearly made her collapse on the floor as his previously side swept bangs tousled wildly in each and every direction. Trying desperately not to peek down at the suit which left nothing to the imagination, Marinette peered at Chat's ears - the left one twitching in anticipation.

 _How cute!_ She thought, only then just realizing her hands were still caught in his hair. Tenderly releasing her grasp, she raised her right hand to play with his twitching cat ear.

"I missed you, silly kitty," Marinette delightedly grinned. A sense of calm washing throughout her as she revelled in the return of her partner. This was how things were supposed to be. Everything was right in the world now that Ladybug was back with Chat Noir.

Adrien closed his eyes, leaning into Marinette's hand, purring as he said, "Mari, you are-"

 _BANG!_

The front kitchen doors burst open - the two heroes automatically separated - switching to a defensive stance.

"Whatever you were about to say is going to have to wait, minou," Marinette easily slipped into Ladybug mode. "First, it looks like we are going to have to deal with this pesky akuma."

Adrien glanced back to his partner, delighting in her returned commanding demeanor, and somewhat prideful of her still flushed cheeks and swollen lips. This was going to be the best Chat Noir and Ladybug team up ever! They were partners, lovers, and most of all, they were best friends. No akuma had ever stopped them. No villain would stand a chance.

Thanks to my sister for doing the amazing reveal picture! Find her on instagram at Katygrunstraart!


	29. Chapter 29: Love Begins

_Finally._ Adrien silently hummed as he extended his baton, flinging himself onto the rooftop nearest his mansion. Finally he would get to talk to Marinette, to be alone with her - something he had desperately been pining for ever since the disturbance of that incredibly annoying akuma.

Early Finisher had been the villain's name, and oh how Adrien wished that battle had ended as quickly as the name suggested. But no…. hardly anything in that battle had gone completely right - at least the parts that involved any sort of Adrien's contribution. How could anyone expect a guy who had just kissed the love of his life to _not_ be distracted in a situation like that?

Sure, he had seen Ladybug in her skin tight costume before, but back then she had just been a petite young girl with hardly any figure. Now, the suit accentuated every part of Marinette's womanly body, and Adrien couldn't help, no matter how much he tried, but to admire the absolute beauty of his girlfriend.

Then, there was that. The fact that Ladybug was actually now, practically, officially Adrien's girlfriend. It was easy to ignore the suggestive nature of her suit when nothing was going on between them, but this time things were different. Ladybug was Marinette, and unlike before, she actually wanted to be with Adrien.

"Is everything okay?" Ladybug softly asked him after he ended up getting caught in the trap they had carefully planned to catch the akuma. "You've fallen at least six times and totally messed up two of our plans."

If Adrien, Chat Noir, had been acting anything remotely normally, he would have responded with some sort of witty pun such as: _Does it look like I'm okay? Get meowt of here, my Lady._ But no, the only thing running through his head in that precise moment was his astoundment that Ladybug had addressed him with such genuine tenderness - her words echoing through his mind as a sweet fragrance lingers in its stead. She wasn't annoyed at his blunders like she would have been in the past. No, this time… this time her voice was laced only with love and worry, causing Adrien to slump even further down into a mushed up heap of uselessness.

If it hadn't been for Marinette's clever thinking and the use of Ladybug's lucky charm, then there would have been no way they - no… she would have won. But as usual, Ladybug pulled through even when Chat Noir was mentally unable.

After the fight had finished, Adrien had been hoping to steal away with his newfound girlfriend, but he had no such luck. As soon as the akuma had been cleansed, Alya was right by Ladybug's side.

"Ladybug!" the star struck reporter announced with enthusiasm, with one hand outstretched holding her camera, while the other was propped against her leg as she leaned forward, gasping for breath. "I can't believe I am actually standing here face to face speaking with you! It has been ages since you have had to save Paris. Welcome back!" She straightened, eyes sparkling in admiration at the return of her favorite heroine.

No longer bound by the trap he had so foolishly allowed himself to get caught in, Chat Noir joined his place next to his Lady's side.

"I wouldn't say the return of akumas is a cause for celebration," he butted in as he playfully flicked the bottom of Ladybug's ponytail. "But getting to see my beautiful Lady again," he continued while wrapping his arms around her waist and looking into her eyes, "more than makes up for the trouble it may have caused."

Adrien had waited, somewhat nervously, for Ladybug's snarky reply, but none came. Instead, her face turned as bright as a tomato right before she buried her head into his chest. "Chaton," she whispered, only loud enough for the two of them to hear, "you're such a hopeless romantic. And now that I know I'm in love with you… well, how should I put this…?"

But, much to Adrien's chagrin, Ladybug never got to finish that sentence, because right at that moment, her miraculous had begun to beep.

"Looks like that's our cue to leave," Chat Noir winked at a gaping Alya as he picked up Ladybug bridal style and reached for his baton while Ladybug feebly struggled in his grasp, her face turning more red - if that was even possible.

"Wait!" Alya barely managed to squeak out. "You're going together? What about your secret identities?

"Who said they were a secret to _us_?" Adrien smirked, extending his baton and whisking the two of them away - leaving an awestruck reporter standing motionless, mouth agape as the two superheroes disappeared in the distance.

Just as Adrien thought he and Marinette would get a chance to be together, she had sternly reminded him that there was no time for such things; they had to return immediately to the charity event. Nothing could have been worse for Adrien to have to wait through. He absolutely despised these types of events. Sure, Marinette's designs were stunning and sold for ridiculously high prices, but seeing her beaming smile from a distance and knowing he couldn't just gather her into his arms and fly away was just too much for his impatient mind to bear.

Even after the auction was over, Adrien couldn't get anywhere close to Marinette. She was surrounded by famous designers, complimenting her work, and honestly giving her the night of her life. In the meantime, Adrien had been stuck with having to socialize, answering questions, and trying to make it seem like he actually cared about modelling and his return into the esteemed career.

And just as the room had become practically clear and Marinette bounded towards Adrien, face beaming in pride, Alya stepped directly between them claiming ownership over Marinette that night.

If it hadn't been for Marinette forcefully making her way past Alya and promising Adrien that she would text him, letting him know when Alya had left, he would not have made it through the rest of the evening. But surely enough, after two long, excruciating hours, Adrien finally received that long awaited message.

The twinkling stars scattered across the cloudless Parisian skyline as Chat Noir gracefully sprung through the night. Nothing would hold him back any longer. Adrien would finally get to speak with Marinette.

Adrien felt as if his limbs were on fire; he had never felt so anxious or nervous in his entire existence. Exhaling as the bakery came into sight, he tried to calm down by telling himself he was just visiting Marinette - the girl who he had been seeing regularly - and that everything would be fine. But as he fell towards the balcony, landing inches away from an already blushing Marinette, he knew he could never see her the same again.

Chat Noir stumbled backwards, startled at Marinette's unexpected presence as his heart tried desperately to beat out of his chest.

"Careful, Adrien," Marinette smiled as she grabbed his hand, stopping him from crashing into the railing. "I always knew Chat Noir could be clumsy, but your blunders today have really taken the cake."

With a newfound confidence at hearing Marinette say his name, Adrien yanked her towards him with the hand she had already grabbed. Wrapping his free arm around her waist, and intertwining the fingers of their already clasped hands he softly said, "You called me, Adrien."

Marinette flicked his nose, a playful twinkling twirling within her eyes. "Well that's your name, isn't it? Would you rather I call you Chat? Because I…"

"No!" Adrien stiffened, "I'm just… it's just weird hearing someone call be by my real name when I am in uniform." He relaxed his posture as he began rubbing circles with his thumb on the back of Marinette's hand. "I guess… hearing you say my actual name made all of this real. You _really_ do know who I am underneath this mask."

A silly, almost goofy looking grin spread across Adrien's face like a child who had just discovered he had gotten everything he had ever wanted for Christmas. His entire body buzzed and swarmed with raw emotion. Not only had his Lady called him by his real name, but here she was, standing contendely, no happily, right within his arms.

"I know what you mean, Adrien," Marinette solemnly said, her piercing blue eyes filling with sadness.. "If only I had known sooner."

"Don't talk like that," Adrien pleaded as he pulled her in closer - his smile slowly fading. Adrien didn't want to ruin this perfect moment. Things were so new - so happy. Did they have to talk about their regrets so soon?

Water pooled up at the edges of Marinette's eyes, "I have to! Adrien, I have to apologize!"

"Mari, you don't need to say..."

"I do!" Marinette demanded, a small tear slipping from her left eye. "Don't you remember the last time you visited me on my balcony like this? You showed me the beautiful date you had prepared for Ladybug and yet I still turned you down."

Marinette's words hit Adrien as a boulder smashes into the depths of a canyon, after spiralling, seemingly endlessly off the edge of a cliff. The memory of Ladybug's rejection still caused his body to respond in an adverse reaction. He had confessed his love for Ladybug to Marinette with _and_ without her mask, but the result hadn't changed. Marinette's eyes were focused on only one boy. Of course, now he now he knew that boy had been him, as Adrien, but that current knowledge still didn't change the hurt and turmoil he had felt for years before discovering the truth behind her rejections.

"It's okay, Marinette." Adrien softly began, taking the arm from behind her waist and tenderly placing his hand underneath her chin. "I understand."

Marinette took hold of Adrien's hand beneath her chin, lowering it to her chest. "You might understand now," her voice wavered, "but not back then."

Tears were rolling down both of her cheeks, but her crystal eyes never once left Adrien's. He could feel the soft beating of her heart beneath his hand, the steady rhythm reminding him that all of this was really happening. He hadn't fallen asleep quite yet.

"Adrien, I turned you down time and time again. No matter how many times you confessed your love, no matter how many times you begged for us to reveal our identities, I wouldn't back down. I hurt you multiple times, and it doesn't matter how I tried to sugarcoat it, I knew the pain that my rejections caused."

"If," Marinette choked, as her tears became sobs, "I had just known. If I had just listened to you," she heaved, "we could have been together all these years."

Adrien couldn't take this self deprecation any longer. If Marinette wanted to go down this path, he would have to join her; Marinette wasn't the only person to blame. He freed his hands from Marinette's grasp, engulfing her into a tight embrace. She had to know he didn't care about what she did in the past. He had to show her how much he cared.

"Look, Marinette," Adrien nearly purred as he burrowed his cheek into her hair, "we can't live our life thinking about what ifs. All that matters is that we know now." He sighed - not looking forward to the next thing he had to say. "If you remember, I wasn't perfect either. I even told you that I liked Kagami!"

Marinette pulled her head back, her puffy eyes once again piercing through Chat Noir's mask.

"Oh...I remember that..." she hesitated.

Adrien flinched. "Well, I wish you didn't," he tightened his grasp around her back - the sickening feeling of guilt rising deep within his chest. "Because it wasn't true."

"What do you mean?" Marinette quietly asked.

"I only said that because I was trying to get over my feelings for Ladybug," Adrien admitted, his tail wrapping around their legs as if it had a mind of its own. "And without even knowing it, I ran straight to you."

Marinette squinted her eyes in confusion, "I don't understand."

Adrien paused for a moment as the depths of the words he just said sunk in. He hadn't thought back to this event since it had happened - never relating it to anything of importance. But why did he go to Marinette for love advice? Why not Nino or Alya? Honestly, no one else had even come to mind; he was automatically drawn to Marinette...

"Think about it," Adrien continued slowly as he continued to work out things in his own mind. "I came to you for love advice. You were the only person I even thought about asking."

"Okay…"

"And when you were hurt," he blurted as the puzzle pieces were beginning to fit together. "I ditched Kagami to go check on you!"

Marinette blinked. "What are you trying to say?"

Adrien grinned, removing one of his arms from her waist to wipe the tears from her face. "I didn't understand it then, even though Plagg tried to tell me. But I think that some part of me just knew I was in love with you."

"What?" Marinette shook her head, averting her gaze to the ground. "But I was so convinced that you loved Kagami."

"I know." Adrien gingerly replied, once again positioning his hand to lift her chin, his heart squeezing painfully within his chest. "And for that, I am truly sorry. Only now do I realize how much that must have hurt you."

"At least you didn't _know_ you were hurting me," Marinette scowled. "Unlike me, who knew exactly what I was doing each time I turned away from you."

"No," Adrien lamented as the severity of his actions overflowed his being with newfound guilt. "I was way worse. I lied to you."

He lowered his hand from her chin, clenching it into a fist at his side. "I never knew who you were in love with. There was always the chance that it could have been me. But the moment I gave you the name Kagami, you _knew_ I wasn't in love with you. If I had just told you the truth. That I was in love with Ladybug, then maybe things would have worked out."

Marinette looked at Adrien's hand, taking both of her own and smoothing out his fingers. Then, after placing his arm back around her waist, she wrapped her arms around him as well, making Adrien's guilt simply melt away within her warm hold.

"Adrien. It's okay," Marinette smiled. "You're right. We shouldn't live our lives thinking about the past. We both made silly mistakes, but nothing we can say or do will ever change that."

Adrien returned Marinette's smile as he remembered a much younger, sadder looking Marinette who had once cheered him up in this very spot. Little did they know, at that time, that they had both just broken each other's hearts.

"What matters is the here and now," Marinette added as if she were peering straight into Adrien's thoughts. "And right now, I need to get something off my chest."

Tenderly removing her arms from Adrien's waist and placing her hands, instead, around his neck Marinette confessed, " _I_ , Marinette Dupain-Cheng am in love with _you_."

Adrien felt his pulse quicken as his entire body filled with a warm, tingling sensation. Even though this was the second time within the past twelve hours that Marinette had confessed, Adrien was elated. He didn't think he would ever get used to hearing those words coming from Marinette, nor did he want to. This feeling was like nothing he had ever experienced before - hearing that the girl he was desperately in love with loved him back- and he couldn't help but to display an adorably large and goofy looking grin in response.

Marinette smiled, clearly delighted at the joy her words had caused Adrien, "Even before I realized who was underneath that mask, I had figured out I had fallen for my sweet little minou."

Marinette paused, tracing the outline of Adrien's mask, leaving one arm fastened tightly around his neck. Her gentle, warm fingers gliding across Adrien's skin, making him close his eyes at her tender touch. How long had he longed for his lady to show affection towards him? And now that she was, he wondered if he could ever get enough.

"It may have taken me eight years to realize it," she continued, leaving her palm on Adrien's cheek, "but Chat Noir was my closest friend, and somewhere along the line, that friendship - the trust we had built with one another - turned into something more."

Adrien opened his eyes as he leaned against her hand, hardly believing the words she just said. He had always dreamed Ladybug would fall for him, as Chat Noir, and hearing her confess that she had done exactly that almost seemed too good to be true.

"It wasn't a crush, like I held for the civilian side of you," her voice shook slightly with the intensity of her confession, "but something much deeper. Something that I didn't recognize until I began to feel those same feelings once I started to spend these past few months with you."

"I was too young to understand the relationship we really had. I was so blinded by my, somewhat ridiculous, obsession with the seemingly perfect Adrien, that I didn't even notice that I was _actually_ in love with the Adrien who was running around, dressed as a black cat."

Adrien wanted to speak, but somehow felt that his own words would simply get in Marinette's way. Instead, he tightened his grasp around her waist, nuzzling even deeper into her the warmth of her hand.

Marinette moved her other hand, placing it so that it matched the opposite, framing Adrien's face as she outlined the bottom of his mask with her thumb. Adrien wondered if she was trying to learn the features of Chat Noir's face all over again or if, perhaps, she were simply trying to recognize Adrien's own face beneath that mask. Either way, he relished in the fact that she seemed as if she wanted to get to know him in a more intimate manner.

"It took some time, I'll admit," she giggled, "but after so many years of working so closely together, I guess I couldn't help but to form a relationship with my childish partner."

"Even though you were silly and cracked puns at the most ridiculous of moments," she grinned as her fingers lovingly continued to explore Adrien's facial features, "my trust in your abilities - no, my trust in _you_ never faltered. I always knew you would be there to protect me, even at the expense of your own life."

"Chat Noir was the person who opened up his heart to me." Marinette lowered one of her hands, placing it atop of Adrien's chest, "Not only did you tell me you loved me, but you showed me the person you truly were on the inside. You showed me your imperfections - the loneliness and pain you hid from the friends in your class. And no matter how upset you seemed to be, you always found a way to get past that, choosing to see hope instead of holding on to grudges."

Marinette gently removed the other hand which Adrien still had his face nuzzled in, leaving him longing - wishing that closeness didn't have to end.

"When you began to open up to me as Adrien, and we began to actually form a _real_ relationship," Marinette playfully tapped Adrien in the chest with her index finger, "I began to realize that what we were creating was something I already once had."

Adrien couldn't help but to stare, wide-eyed, at the rosy cheeked bluenette pouring out her heart in front of him. The chill, late night air stung at his cheeks where the warmth of her palms once had been, but no environmental factor would ever touch or lesson the heat that flowed through him inside. This woman in front of him knew every single part of his life, and she was even admitting that the things he had tried so hard to hide were the very parts of him that drew her closer in.

"I didn't know it at the time, but that was why I wrote that first letter," she softly continued, once again gathering her arms around Adrien's neck. "I couldn't continue to live my life pretending as if Chat Noir was not an essential part of my existence."

She sighed. "I missed you more than words can describe, but regaining that longed contact just made me even more confused. Especially once once I realized a part of me was still in love with you! How was I supposed to deal with _that_? You can't even imagine how relieved I felt when I figured out the man hiding beneath that mask was you, Adrien!"

"Of course I can," Adrien broke his silence. "I was going through the same thing - torn between my reconnection with the girl I had _been_ in love with and the newfound feelings I discovered towards you, Marinette."

Marinette gave her best attempt at a frown. Even though she could not hide the happiness Adrien's words had filled her with.

"Don't interrupt, you mangy cat!" She bopped the back of his head.

"I was on a roll and I only had one line left," she pouted.

Adrien chuckled, enjoying the emergence of Marinette's childish behavior, making her curl out her lip even further. No matter how much he was enjoying this, he really wanted to hear the last part of her confession.

Composing himself and trying to display a look of seriousness, Adrien boldly said, "Go on, princess."

"Nope," she removed her arms from his neck, crossing them in front of her chest.

"After all that," Adrien raised his eyebrow, "you're simply not going to finish?"

Marinette squirmed, trying to get out of Adrien's grasp. "Yep," she curtly responded.

Adrien held her even tighter. "Oh no you don't. There's no way I'm letting you go without hearing everything you had to say."

"But you messed up my flow!" she pushed against his chest. "Now it will just sound funny."

Adrien smirked. This was _definitely_ the girl he had fallen in love with. At the most random of times, she could be even more silly and childlike than him.

"Please," he begged, drawing the word out and giving his best Puss in Boots impression.

"No fair!" Marinette shouted as all of her attempts to break free halted. "How can you give me those eyes when you're literally dressed like a cat?" She buried her head in his chest, mumbling, "How can I even resist that?"

Adrien smiled, a big toothy grin, knowing that he had won.

"Fine, I'll say it," she murmured. Then, she jerked her head back hurriedly shouting, "I love you, Chat Noir! I love you, Adrien Agreste!"

And with that, Adrien could hold himself back no longer. Raising his left hand to the small of her back, Adrien pulled Marinette even closer as he leaned forward, enveloping Marinette in a passionate kiss.

Her boldness from before stirred a fire within, and once he had gotten a taste, he was addicted to her lips - tasting of sugar and strawberry - a sweetness that could only be Marinette's. He had been waiting for this perfect moment all evening, and now that it was here, he wasn't sure that he even wanted it to end.

Adrien languished every moment their lips remained locked together - the earlier image of Marinette transformed into Ladybug coupled with the honestly and emotion she had poured into her confession, strengthening the intensity of his kiss. It was almost too much to handle - seeing the girl he once loved now blossomed into an even more beautiful woman. What he thought had been love before, had been nothing compared to the burning love and desire now he held for his Lady - for Marinette.

She was the one.

The woman whom he had somehow managed to fall in love with two times. His eyes had never wandered. This love was destined - not even their own stupidity could keep them from being together.

Releasing their kiss and resting his forehead against Marinette's, Adrien grabbed hold of both of Marinette's hands, whispering, "I love you, too, Ladybug."

Adrien raised his head, placing a gentle kiss on Marinette's temple. Then, placing his hand beneath her chin, he softly said, "Thank you for loving both sides of me."

He smiled, as he looked deeply into Marinette's eyes. He wished there were some way to convey to depth and intensity in which his love ran, but knew no words could ever summarize the feelings he had within. All he could do was simply speak the truth.

With the deepest sincerity that Adrien could muster, he softly promised, "I will _never_ stop loving you, Marinette."

But little did he know that somewhere across Paris a fuming young girl with way too much power in her hands was scheming for him to do just that.


	30. Never Let Go

Merry Christmas! I have a gift for all of my lovely readers. I have written a beautiful one-shot for you all. I wrote this in response to a challenge asking authors to rewrite one of their stories in a different way. This piece begins just like Reunited, but instead of parting ways, Ladybug and Chat Noir decide to keep in touch.

I have been working on the piece for over six months. Seeing as how it ended up being over 7,000 words long, I will be uploading it in sections over the next few days. Please go check it out and enjoy! If you can't find it, please let me know.


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